Elegant champagne cocktail with bubbles in sophisticated celebration setting

Ordinary Drink

French 75

Il French 75 è un cocktail elegante e rinfrescante che combina gin, succo di limone fresco, zucchero e champagne. Questa bevanda frizzante è perfetta per celebrare occasioni speciali, grazie al suo sapore vivace e al suo raffinato tocco di bollicine. Originario della Francia, il French 75 è un classico intramontabile che incarna lo spirito della convivialità.

  • fruttato
  • frizzante
  • agrumato
  • secco
Elena
By ElenaClassic Cocktails & Gin ExpertPublished Reviewed
Prep Time
5 min
Glass
Collins glass
Difficulty
Easy
ABV
14%
Yields
1 serving
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Il French 75 è un ordinary drink a base di gin, apprezzato per il suo carattere fruttato and frizzante — tra le ricette di "matrimonio" più cercate. Pronto in soli 5 minuti, perfetto per feste estive e semplice da preparare a casa. Chi cerca "celebrazione" troverà qui la risposta.

Key Takeaways

What you’ll learn

  • The French 75 was named after the powerful WWI-era 75mm field gun for its reputedly fierce kick.
  • Both gin and cognac versions are historically valid; gin is the most popular modern interpretation while cognac is the French original.
  • Proper technique requires shaking the base ingredients with ice before topping with champagne — never shake the sparkling wine itself.
  • Always use brut champagne or quality sparkling wine to balance the simple syrup's sweetness.

Ingredients

Serves
1 serving
Glass
Collins glass
Prep
5 min
  • 1 1/2 ozGin
  • 2 tsp superfineSugar
  • 1 1/2 ozLemon juice
  • 4 oz ChilledChampagne
  • 1Orange
  • 1Maraschino cherry

Method

Preparation

  1. 01

    Ecco la traduzione delle istruzioni in italiano:

  2. 02

    Unire gin, zucchero e succo di limone in uno shaker da cocktail riempito di ghiaccio. Agitare vigorosamente e filtrare in un bicchiere da champagne freddo. Completare con Champagne. Mescolare delicatamente.

Origin

History & Origins

The French 75's origin story is as debated as the recipe itself. Most cocktail historians credit Harry MacElhone, the Scottish bartender who founded Harry's New York Bar in Paris, with creating the drink around 1925. Some accounts trace it back to the interwar period in London, while others suggest a WWI-era provenance — French and American soldiers in France were supposedly mixing gin with champagne as early as 1915.

What is certain is that the cocktail's name invokes the Canon de 75 modèle 1897, the rapid-fire French field gun that became the signature artillery piece of World War I. Early drinkers claimed the cocktail had such a kick that it felt like being hit by the cannon's shell — a claim that speaks more to its deceptive drinkability than any literal comparison. The drink appeared in "The Savoy Cocktail Book" in 1930 with a gin base, cementing its place in the classic canon.

Early drinkers claimed the cocktail had such a kick that it felt like being hit by the cannon's shell — a claim that speaks more to its deceptive drinkability than any literal comparison.

The gin-versus-cognac debate persists to this day. French sources from the same era often specified cognac, suggesting the cognac version may be the authentic Parisian recipe while the gin variant was popularised in English-speaking countries. Today the IBA lists the French 75 as an official cocktail with gin as the canonical spirit. Some bartenders serve the cognac version as "French 75 Moderne." Both versions are historically valid, and choosing between them is an exercise in personal preference and cocktail philosophy.

Bartender’s Insight

Pro Tips

Raffredda tutti gli ingredienti e la vetreria completamente prima della preparazione per una temperatura di servizio ottimale

From Elena

  • usa gin London Dry per mantenere l'equilibrio botanico senza sopraffare lo champagne

  • aggiungi lo champagne per ultimo per preservare l'effervescenza e creare fascino visivo

  • mescola invece di agitare per mantenere la chiarezza

At the Table

Perfect Pairings

Soufflé al formaggio
Salmone affumicato
Ostriche al forno
Crostata al limone

Beyond the Classic

Variations

French 75 75

Utilizza 75 ml di ciascun componente (gin, champagne, succo di limone, sciroppo di zucchero) per proporzione perfetta e presentazione potente

Champagne 75

Incorpora coppe risciacquate con assenzio per note erbacee

French 75 Moderno

Aggiunge un tocco di bitter Peychaud's per spezie sottili e complessità

Questions

Frequently Asked

French 75 Recipe — Authentic Gin Cocktail | Hero Cocktails | Hero Cocktails