It may seem a little grim, but the traditional French 75 was named after a French World War I field gun, the Canon de 75 modèle 1897, famed for its speed and precision. So, while the “75” has nothing to do with champagne or cocktails, it became a popular number in France and abroad just prior to the 1900s.
A version of the French 75 has been imbibed since 1915, but the gin + lemon + sugar + champagne mixture became popular during prohibition. Our Lemongrass Rosé French 75 uses Clarksburg Lemongrass Rosé Hard Cider, so we omitted simple syrup from this recipe.
After filling your cocktail shaker with ice, add in your preferred gin and lemon juice until they’re chilled. You can choose any type of gin, but we recommend something above the well variety. Gin can have some distinct botanical flavors that will change the taste of this cocktail.
Another tip: don’t shake the champagne or cider because that will destroy the bubbles. Simply strain the chilled gin and lemon juice mixture into a flute or coupe glass and top it with an ounce of sparkling wine and two ounces of Lemongrass Rosé. Add a lemon twist for garnish and voilà—your cocktail is complete.
If you don’t have flutes or coupe glasses at home, serve this in any kind of delicate glassware. Clear glass doesn’t flatten the bubbles like plastic or ceramic does, and flutes or coupes help channel the aromatics toward your nose. Plus, it just looks more celebratory and elegant. Santé!
