With its renowned smoothness and versatility, cognac makes a sophisticated addition to your favorite summer concoctions. Whether hosting an al fresco gathering or relaxing poolside, explore how cognac can elevate your summer cocktail repertoire and make the moment that much more special.
Our Top 4 Essential Summer Cocktails
Start with our go-to recipes for easy-to-prepare drinks, from Cognac twists on familiar favorites to original creations perfect for warm days. Pour yourself one of these delicious chilled drinks for a bit of respite from the summer sun.
Rémy Ginger
Sparkling, spicy, and sweet all at the same time, the Rémy Ginger is perhaps our quickest way to enjoy a refreshing cognac cooler. Elegant in its simplicity, this effervescent drink is simply cognac on ice, topped with ginger ale, and finished with a dash of bitters. Garnish it with a wedge of lemon to enhance the summertime vibes.
Ingredients:
50ml Cognac
Top with ginger ale
Angostura bitters
Lemon wedge to garnish
Recommended Cognac: Rémy Martin VSOP
Recommended Occasions: BBQs, beach days, poolside lounging
The French Mojito
The perfect sundowner for hot summer days, the mojito is a popular cocktail with a legendary past. Our version is a French twist on the Cuban classic, swapping rum for cognac for added character in this hallmark sweet-sour flavor mix.
Ingredients:
45 ml Cognac
30 ml Lime juice
20 ml Simple syrup
30 ml Sparkling water
Mint leaves
Recommended Cognac: Rémy Martin 1738 Accord Royal
Recommended Occasions: Evening cocktail hour, watching the sunset
Royal Tom Collins
Fresh, sour, and fizzy, this classic highball recipe is sure to appeal to spritz lovers seeking some bubbles. Simple to make and easier to drink, a combination of lemon juice, simple syrup, and cognac is topped with sparkling water to create a light, thirst-quenching concoction.
Ingredients:
45 ml Cognac
20 ml Lemon juice
20 ml Simple syrup
Top with club soda
Lemon wheel and brandied cherry for garnish
Recommended Cognac: Rémy Martin 1738 Accord Royal
Recommended Occasions: Poolside, evening cocktail hour
French Mule
Originally invented in the 1940s, the Moscow Mule is an iconic recipe instantly recognizable by its signature copper mug. Our version is a French twist on the classic, swapping in cognac for vodka to harmonize the spicy-sweet notes of fresh lime juice and ginger beer.
Ingredients:
60 ml Cognac
15 ml Lime juice
120 ml Ginger beer
Lime wheel for garnish
Recommended Cognac: Rémy Martin VSOP
Recommended Occasions: Afternoon picnic, al fresco get-together
Our Top 4
Creative Summer Cocktails
Creative Summer Cocktails
After mastering the essentials, level up your cocktail game with our selection of creative recipes with layers of flavors. Discover how to delight your senses – and your guests – with every sip of these less familiar creations.
Cognac Sangria
Synonymous with summer, sangria is the ultimate party drink. Our version adds cognac and just a bit of bitters to the traditional base of rich red wine for a sophisticated take on this crowd-favorite concoction.
Ingredients (serves 6):
90 ml Cognac
90 ml Cointreau triple sec orange liqueur
360 ml Red wine
60 ml Lime juice
120 ml Orange juice
8 dashes of Angostura bitters
Simple syrup (optional)
Recommended Cognac: Rémy Martin VSOP
Recommended Occasions: Block party, family cookout
The Sidecar Cooler
The result of crossing two families of cocktails, this hybrid recipe creates a well-balanced mix of floral sweetness and citrus tartness. Finished with soda water, the Sidecar Cooler is an elegant multifaceted spritz-like refresher.
Ingredients:
30 ml Cognac
15 ml Cointreau Triple sec orange liqueur
15 ml Verjus
20 ml Elderflower syrup
Soda Water
Lemon for garnish
Recommended Cognac: Rémy Martin 1738 Accord Royal
Recommended Occasions: Poolside, cocktail party
Rémy Fruit Cup
Inspired by traditional British fruit cup cocktails, this light drink is built directly in a glass filled with crushed ice for high-impact taste, low-effort results. A base of bitter dry vermouth, sweet grenadine, and fruity cognac is topped with sour kombucha and seasonal fruit in an explosion of flavors.
Ingredients:
30 ml Cognac
10 ml Dry Vermouth (or Cocchi Americano)
5 ml Grenadine
Top with kombucha
Seasonal fruit to garnish
Recommended Cognac: Rémy Martin VSOP
Recommended Occasions: Sunset cocktail hour, casual dinner party
Fish House Punch
An American classic dating back to the 18th century, this iconic recipe originated at a gentleman’s social club in Pennsylvania. Both rich in flavor yet light enough for a warm day, the sweetness from rum and peach brandy is elegantly balanced by cognac.
Ingredients:
30 ml Cognac
30 ml Mount Gay Rum
20 ml Lemon juice
15 ml Peach brandy
15 ml Simple syrup
45 ml Water
Lemon peel to garnish
Recommended Cognac: Rémy Martin VSOP
Recommended Occasions: After dinner drinks
Our Summer Cocktail Mixing Tips
No matter the season, what makes a cocktail great always comes down to the same essentials. Just because it’s summer, doesn’t mean you should relax when it comes to the basics: clean glassware, pure ice, and fresh ingredients. Here are our tips specifically for summer drinks when the goal is to be as refreshing as possible.
Tip 1: Chill Your Glassware
The best way to help keep your cocktail cooler longer is to pre-chill your glass. If possible, store your glasses in the freezer, ideally for at least 30 minutes. If you’re short on time, you can also put extra ice cubes in your glass while you prepare your cocktail, discarding them when you’re ready to serve.
Tip 2: Use Extra Pure Ice
No summer cocktail is complete without ice, which plays a key role in most seasonal favorites like mojitos, mules, and punches. Given the warmer outside temperatures, the ice in your cocktail is likely to melt faster, diluting it quicker. This means the quality of your ice matters even more in summer recipes, so be sure to use filtered water when making your cubes at home or consider buying them from a trusted supplier. In terms of size, avoid small cubes as the smaller the cube the faster it will melt.
Tip 3: Always Squeeze Fresh Juice
Since so many summer cocktails call for the use of lemon or lime juice, freshly squeezing your citrus is the easiest way to ensure the best possible results.
Using pre-squeezed juice from the store may seem much easier when the goal is a quick, refreshing drink, but nothing will transform your cocktail more than squeezing it fresh.
Serving Cognac Cocktails at Your Summer Party
Hosting a gathering this summer? From casual backyard barbeques to intimate dinner parties on the patio, here are the best recipes to share the spirit of the season thanks to a refreshing cognac cocktail.
Best Summer Cocktails to Batch
The easiest way to serve cocktails to a crowd is to make a large batch ahead of time. This method works well for recipes that are already mixed directly in a glass, do not require a shaker, and do not include sparkling toppers like soda. If using any citrus, add your freshly squeezed juice no more than 3 hours before serving to prevent oxidation and ensure maximal freshness. Multiply your recipe to suit your desired serving size and combine in a large pitcher.
EASY SUMMER COCKTAILS FOR A CROWD
Another option is to serve cocktails that only require guests to do the simplest of preparations to serve themselves. Pre-mixing the cocktail base, pre-slicing citrus garnishes, and providing bottled sparkling toppers make it simple to offer a wide range of simple-to-mix drinks.
Cheers to Unforgettable Summer Memories
Whether mixing yourself up a drink or hosting a crowd, we hope you’ve found new ways to bring cognac into your summer cocktail repertoire. In the realm of summer drinks, cognac may not be the first spirit you think of, but its sophistication and depth add an unexpected dimension to classic warm-weather drinks. From the zesty Rémy Ginger to a fruity Cognac Sangria, all of these refreshing cognac concoctions promise to make the season one to savor.
