Brandy Cocktails: Cognac

Harvard Cocktail

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Harvard Cocktail Ingredients

1.5 oz. Landy Cognac VSOP

1 oz. Dolin Sweet Vermouth

3 dashes Hella Bitters Aromatic

Garnish

Lemon twist
Brandied cherry

Harvard Cocktail Preparation

Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass and add ice. Stir 25-35 times. Strain into a coupe or stemmed cocktail glass. Garnish with a brandied cherry or lemon twist.

Harvard Cocktail Story

The Harvard first appears in George J. Kappeler’s 1895 publication Modern American Drinks as a brandy Manhattan topped with seltzer. Part of a legion of drinks named after Ivy League institutions, the Harvard has an intrinsically insular appeal. Though Kappeler was from New York City, he was clearly in the know, creating an unfussy cocktail with exceptional ingredients that would appeal to the amateur grad-student bartender. Falling somewhere between legacy and parody, the Harvard and its kind were typically not cocktails to order at just any bar, but to enjoy at one’s alma mater exclusively.