French Apéritifs for any Occasion

From New Year celebrations to cosy evenings with friends and family, the chink of a cocktail glass and a cheerful santé! can lift any occasion. Here is a selection of recipes to brighten the darker months…

Calva Cran

This bright, fruity drink showcases Comte Louis de Lauriston Calvados Fine, crafted in Normandy from meticulously selected apples. Its crisp orchard character pairs naturally with cranberry’s tartness, while tonic adds lift and sparkle. A simple, stylish way to enjoy a classic French eau-de-vie.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 oz (60 ml) Comte Louis de Lauriston Calvados Fine
• 1 oz (30 ml) cranberry juice
• Tonic water
• Apple slices.

METHOD

1. In a shaker filled with ice, add calvados and cranberry juice. Shake and strain into a glass. Top off with tonic water and garnish with apple slices.

Bastille Cacao Old Fashioned

A rich, indulgent riff on the Old Fashioned, this cocktail puts Bastille Single Malt Whisky in the spotlight a French whisky noted for its smooth, rounded profile. Paired with Jules Theuriet Crème de Cacao Ambré and chocolate bitters, it delivers depth, warmth and an elegant, dessert-like finish.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 oz (60 ml) Bastille Single Malt Whisky
• 1 oz (30 ml) Jules Theuriet Crème de Cacao Ambré
• 3-4 dashes of Chocolate Bitters
• Bada Bing Cherry

METHOD

1. In a shaker with ice, add chocolate bitters, whisky and Crème de Cacao.
2. Stir well and strain into a glass with ice. Garnish with a cherry.

French 75 Royale

Yu Gin’s citrus-led, yuzu-inflected profile brings a refined freshness to this celebratory serve. Blended with honeyed Noces Royales and lifted by a splash of Champagne, it’s a sparkling, modern take on a French classic-crisp, aromatic and ideal for festive toasts or elegant apéritif moments.

INGREDIENTS

• 15 oz (45 ml) Yu Gin
• ½ oz (15 ml) Noces Royales
• % oz (7.5 ml) lemon juice
• Champagne

METHOD

1. In a shaker filled with ice, add Yu Gin, Noces Royales and a squeeze of lemon. Shake and strain into a flute.
2. Top with champagne and garnish with a lemon twist.

Le Sang Jaune

A layered, aromatic cocktail built around Comte Louis de Lauriston Calvados Fine, this recipe balances crisp orchard fruit with floral elderflower, dry vermouth and the herbal complexity of absinthe and génépy. The result is a vibrant, Alpine-inspired apéritif with depth, freshness and a distinctly French mountain spirit.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 oz (45 ml) Comte Louis de Lauriston Calvados Fine
• % oz (15 ml) Guerin Dry White Vermouth
• ½ oz (15 ml) elderflower liqueur
• Few dashes of La Muse Verte Absinthe
• Few dashes of gentian liqueur such as Dolin
• Génépy Liqueur
• Optional: Apple slice for garnish

METHOD

1. In a shaker with ice, add calvados, vermouth, elderflower liqueur, absinthe and Dolin Génépy Liqueur.
2. Shake and strain into a chilled rocks glass. Garnish with an apple slice.

Cognac Highball

This long, refreshing highball highlights Distillerie du Peyrat’s Organic Selection Cognac, produced from organically grown grapes and distilled with sustainability in mind. Its delicate fruit and subtle spice pair seamlessly with ginger ale, creating an easy-drinking serve that’s bright, zesty and perfect for relaxed gatherings or apéro hour.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 oz (60 ml) Distillerie Du Peyrat Organic
• Selection Cognac
• Ginger Ale
• Lemon for garnish

METHOD

1. In a Collins glass filled with ice, add Du Peyrat Organic Selection Cognac and a squeeze of a lemon.
2. Top off with ginger ale and garnish with a lemon twist.

Hanky Panky by Le Barteleur

Le Barteleur’s bottled Hanky Panky captures the classic balance of gin, sweet vermouth and Fernet-style bitterness in a ready-to-serve format. Crafted in France, it offers an effortlessly sophisticated pour – aromatic, herbal and refreshingly complex, ideal when you want elegance without the mixing.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 oz (90 ml) Le Barteleur Hanky Panky RTD
• Cocktail
• Orange and ginger slice for garnish

METHOD

1. Pour Le Barteleur Hanky Panky RTD Cocktail into a rocks glass over an ice cube.
2. Garnish with a slice of orange and ginger.

Vieux Carré

This French-leaning take on the New Orleans classic brings together Dark Arts Amburana Rye and Distillerie du Peyrat Organic Cognac with Guerin Sweet Red Vermouth and Bénédictine. Deep, spiced and wonderfully aromatic, it’s a complex sipping cocktail that honours both French spirits and timeless cocktail tradition.

INGREDIENTS

• 3/4 oz (22.5 ml) Dark Arts Whiskey Amburana Rye
• 3/4 oz (22.5 ml) Distillerie Du Peyrat Organic
• Selection Cognac
• 3/4 oz (22.5 ml) Guerin Sweet Red Vermouth
• 2 tsp Benedictine liqueur
• 4 dashes Dale DeGroff’s pimento aromatic bitters
• Garnish with cocktail cherry and lemon twist

METHOD

1. Pour rye whisky, Cognac, sweet vermouth, Benedictine liqueur and bitters into a mixing glass with ice and stir.
2. Strain into rocks glass over fresh ice.
3. Garnish with cherry and lemon twist.

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Lead photo credit : French 75 Royale