Name: Hennessy Sidecar Cocktail
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: 1.75 oz Hennessy Cognac; 0.5 oz Cointreau; 0.5 oz Lemon Juice; Orange Peel (garnish)

The Hennessy Sidecar is a sophisticated French craft cocktail prepared with a world renowned cognac.

Our take on the classic Sidecar cocktail recipe features Hennessy Cognac, Cointreau orange liqueur and fresh lemon juice.

The ingredients are shaken with ice, strained into a coupe glass and garnished with an orange peel.

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What Is A Hennessy Sidecar?

The Sidecar is any cocktail traditionally made with cognac brandy, orange liqueur such as Cointreau, and fresh lemon juice. In its ingredients, the drink is perhaps most closely related to the vintage brandy crusta, which differs both in presentation and in proportions of its components.

Like the daiquiri, the sidecar evolved from the original sour formula, but sidecars are often drier than sours.

The exact origin of the sidecar is unclear, but it is thought to have been invented at the end of World War I in either London or Paris. The drink was directly named for the motorcycle attachment, which was very commonly used at the time.

The iconic Ritz Hotel in Paris claims origin of the drink. The first recipes for the sidecar appear in 1922, in Harry MacElhone’s Harry’s ABC of Mixing Cocktails and Robert Vermeire’s Cocktails and How to Mix Them. It is one of six basic drinks listed in David A. Embury’s The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks.

Our Hennessy Sidecar cocktail is very similar to this popular Grand Marnier Sidecar recipe.

What Is Cognac

Cognac is a variety of brandy named after the region of Cognac, France. It is produced in the surrounding wine-growing region in the departments of Charente and Charente-Maritime.

Cognac is the world’s most famous brandy, like Scotch whisky or Tequila (a type of mezcal), it comes from the actual place for which it’s named. But unlike Scotch, made from malted barley, Cognac is made from grapes.

The brandy must be twice distilled in copper pot stills and aged at least two years in French oak barrels from Limousin or Tronçais. Cognac matures in the same way as whiskies and wines barrel-age, and most cognacs spend considerably longer “on the wood” than the minimum legal requirement.

Serve this cognac cocktail in a coupe glass garnished with an orange peel.

Travel to France to Sip a Hennessy Sidecar Cocktail

I love traveling to Europe!

During my first visit to the continent I traveled for 5 months by train and plane. I had the opportunity to eat my way through Ireland, Scotland, England, Wales, Portugal, Spain, Belgium, Holland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia,Estonia, Latvia, Poland, Czech Republic, Germany, Austria, Croatia, Bosnia, Hungary, Slovakia, Greece, Turkey and Italy.

What I love most about traveling to France is the opportunity to sample unique recipes from each region. The dishes and drinks in Paris and Versailles are unique to what you might find on restaurant in Normandy, Chateauneuf de Pape, Provence, Epernay, Reims, Dijon and Annecy.

For hundreds of years French cuisine has been considered the fanciest of sips and nibbles. If you’re a cocktail fan, there’s no better country in Europe to swig your way through. Head to the heart of Cognac country on a road trip of France, or quench your thirst on craft cocktails at fancy luxury hotel bars in Paris or Saint-Tropez down south.

Once back home from a French holiday you’ll have a newfound appreciation for the regional and seasonal flavours of France and can impress friends and family by making this delightful Hennessy Sidecar recipe!

This Hennessy Sidecar recipe features cognac, Cointreau, and lemon juice.

Hennessy Sidecar Ingredients

This easy 4-ingredient cocktail recipe features Hennessy Cognac, orange liqueur, fresh lemon juice, which are shaken with ice in the perfect proportions then garnished in a coupe glass with orange peel.

1.75 oz Hennessy Cognac
0.5 oz Cointreau
0.5 oz Lemon Juice
Orange Peel garnish

Sidecar Cocktail Directions

This classic French cocktail is so easy to make, it’s ready to serve in under 5 minutes!

Add all of the ingredients to an ice filled cocktail shaker. Shake for 15-20 seconds until cold.
Strain into a coup glass and garnish with orange peel.

Hennessy Sidecar Cocktail Tips

We suggest serving a Hennessy Sidecar in an elegant couple glass.
While we like to use Hennessy when making this cocktail you can substitute for another cognac brand like Remy Martin, Martell or Courvoisier.
We’ve shaken and strained this cocktail but if you like ice in your glass feel free to plop a few cubes into a rocks glass before serving.
Our recipe serves one person. If you’re hosting a large gathering feel free to multiply the ingredients by the number of guests and muddle the drink in a festive punch bowl or jug rather than a cocktail shaker.
Add a splash of soda water for a fizzy twist to make the drink less boozy and more refreshing.
An hour or two before you’re planning on serving drinks we suggest placing the cognac and Cointreau bottles in the freezer so they are well chilled.

We love serving this cognac cocktail at fancy French dinner parties.

Best Bartender Tools & Cocktail Equipment

Before hosting a swanky Hennessy Sidecar cocktail party you’ll need to ensure you have the best bartender tools and cocktail equipment.

Cocktail Kit: cocktail kits are the perfect gift for newbie mixology fans as they include basic bartender tools like a jigger, shaker and spoon.
Cocktail Shaker: a bartender’s best friend. Purchase a premium cocktail shaker to muddle or shake up your favourite pink gin cocktails.
Cocktail Glassware: make sure your bar is stocked with a selection of unique glassware to show off your favourite cocktail creations.
Hawthorne Strainer: this unique strainer features tightly wound coils and perforated holes. It keeps ice and other large ingredients like lime wedges in your cocktail shaker rather than in the glass.
Bar Spoons: slender and long bar spoons are a must-have when stirring drinks.
Bottle Opener: easily open bottles of beer or cider with the flick of your wrist or purchase a corkscrew for fine wine.
Pouring Spout: once you’ve opened a new bottle of gin insert these affordable pourers to make cocktail assembly a breeze.
Cutting Board: purchase a petite cutting board for your bar to slice garnishes or citrus wedges like lime, orange, lemon or grapefruit.
Ice Bucket: chill bottles of gin quickly in an ice bucket or keep by the bar when muddling gin mixers into cool creations.
Ice Crusher: fans of the Mint Julep love an ice crusher.
Ice Cube Kit: we suggest purchasing a selection of ice cube trays. Silicone styles are our favourite as they’re easy to clean and are available in various shapes and sizes.
Jigger: use a jigger to accurately measure spirits, juices, syrups and shrubs.
Juicer: invest in an electronic juicer or buy an affordable hand-held to easily juice fresh citrus like lemons and limes.
Muddler: fans of the Mojito love a sturdy muddler to mix mint and lime. Muddler’s are handy for any cocktail featuring ingredients that need a pounding like fresh herbs or citrus wedges.
Citrus Peeler & Zester: adorn your craft cocktails with a thick citrus peel or finer ribbons of lime or lemon zest.
Rimmer: Bloody Mary and Caesar lovers should outfit their bar with a handy rimmer for salting and sugaring glassware.

The Hennessy Sidecar features a boozy base with fresh acidic citrus notes.

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