Brandy Crusta
I’ve never been a big brandy fan. I’ve had brandy of course, but it’s usually in the form of a mixed cocktail: drinks like Egg Nog or Brandy Alexanders or even a Julep or two. But I’ve never understood the whole “have-a-glass-of-brandy-in-a-snifter-after-dinner” thing. I guess like anything else, it all depends on the brand you’re drinking. Like most liquors out there some of them are better than others.
When I’ve had brandy in the past it’s been E & J and the Christian Brothers which are good for cocktails, but not the best for drinking straight. Since I mainly drink cocktails however, those brands were just fine with me. There really wasn’t a need to look any further. But that all changed a few weeks ago when I was invited to a tasting for Ararat, a brandy from Armenia.
Ararat was a new experience. Depending on the age, the brandy can taste fruity, full of plum or orange flavors or woodsy, full of almonds and peppercorns. Because the older brandies lean more towards the nuttier flavors, they’re ideal for sipping after a long day and a nice dinner. On the other hand, the younger brandies in the Ararat line are perfect for mixing into cocktails because of their fruitiness. It’s why I chose their five year-old brandy to make this classic cocktail. One I’ve been wanting to make for quite awhile.
The Brandy Crusta dates all the way back to mid 1800’s when Joseph Santini, an Italian bartender from New Orleans, created it. It’s one of the original New Orleans cocktails and even predates the Sazerac. Unlike other classic New Orleans drinks which are usually made with bourbon or rye, this drink uses brandy. It’s a simple cocktail, but it’s the garnish that really makes this drink stand out.
See, each and every glass for the Crusta is rimmed with sugar. While that may not seem all that special now, back in the 1850’s a sugar crusted rim was totally unique. It’s actually how the Crusta got its name since it was the very first cocktail ever made with that sugar crust. But the sugared rim isn’t the only garnish this cocktail has. It also has a long strip of lemon peel fitted just inside the glass, which is a nod to the dashes of lemon juice mixed into the drink. You can see how those two garnishes together would make for a seriously interesting looking cocktail. A cocktail that in 1850 would be unlike anything anyone would have seen before.
Although the garnish really makes this drink stand out, you still have to taste it. So, you want to use a good brandy, which brings us back to the Ararat. See, the five year is the perfect choice for this cocktail. Not only will you get the sweet flavors of peach and plums, those flavors meld perfectly with the lemon, curaçao and Maraschino. It’s a drink well worth a sip, especially this time of year when things get a little fancier. And you can’t get much fancier than the garnish on the Brandy Crusta.
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 ounces brandy
- 1/2 ounce Cruacao
- 1/4 ounce lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Maraschino
- 1 dash Angostura bitters
Instructions
- Run a slice of lemon around the rim of a wine glass. Dip the glass in sugar and set aside.
- Mix all ingredients in a cocktail glass. Add ice and stir until chilled.
- Strain into prepared glass. Add the lemon peel around the inside of the rim of the glass and serve.
