The French 75 was born in Paris in 1915, at Harry's New York Bar on the Rue Daunou, where American bartender Harry MacElhone combined gin, lemon juice, sugar, and Champagne into something that felt, as one contemporary account put it, 'like being hit by a French 75mm field gun.' The name stuck. The drink endured. A century later, it remains one of the most elegant cocktails ever conceived.
The genius of the French 75 lies in its simplicity. Four ingredients, each essential, each in precise proportion. The gin provides botanical backbone — juniper, citrus, spice. The lemon juice brings brightness and acidity. The sugar syrup balances and rounds. And the Champagne — always Champagne, never Prosecco, never Cava — lifts the whole thing into something effervescent and celebratory.
"The French 75 is the most civilised drink ever invented — it is simultaneously a cocktail and a glass of Champagne, a celebration and an aperitif."
The French 75 is the most civilised drink ever invented — it is simultaneously a cocktail and a glass of Champagne, a celebration and an aperitif. It works before dinner, during dinner, and, if you're feeling reckless, after dinner. It works in a Parisian brasserie, on a sun-drenched terrace, and at a kitchen table on a Tuesday evening when you've decided that life is too short for anything less than excellent.
The recipe is simple, but the details matter. Use a London Dry gin with good juniper character — Tanqueray or Beefeater work beautifully. Squeeze your lemon fresh; bottled juice is a crime against the cocktail. Make a simple syrup with equal parts sugar and water. And use a decent Champagne — not your finest bottle, but nothing you'd be embarrassed to serve. A non-vintage Brut from a reliable house is ideal.
The method: combine 45ml gin, 22ml fresh lemon juice, and 15ml simple syrup in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake hard for 10 seconds. Strain into a chilled Champagne flute. Top with 60ml cold Champagne. Garnish with a long lemon twist. Drink immediately, while the bubbles are still dancing.
One final note: there is a school of thought that insists the authentic French 75 should be made with Cognac rather than gin. This is historically defensible — early recipes do call for Cognac — and the result is a richer, more vinous drink. I prefer the gin version for its brightness and lift, but the Cognac variation is worth exploring, particularly in winter when you want something with a little more weight. Either way, make it cold, make it fresh, and make it with Champagne. Everything else is negotiable.
TASTING NOTES
Bottles Worth Seeking Out
Tanqueray London Dry Gin
The ideal base for a French 75 — clean juniper, citrus, and spice, with enough character to hold its own against the Champagne.
Laurent-Perrier La Cuvée Brut NV
Fresh, precise, and beautifully balanced — the perfect Champagne for cocktails. Citrus, white peach, and a clean, dry finish.
Rémy Martin VSOP (Cognac variation)
For the Cognac version: vanilla, dried fruit, and gentle spice. Richer and more contemplative than the gin original.