French 75

The French 75
Ingredients:
1 oz lemon juice
½ oz simple syrup
1 oz London Dry Gin
~3 oz Champagne or sparkling wine (to top)


Build:

1. Add lemon juice, simple syrup, and gin to a shaker with ice. Shake to chill.
2. Strain into a Collins glass filled with ice — or into a Champagne flute without ice.
3. Top with Champagne or sparkling wine (we like prosecco).
4. Garnish with a lemon wheel or lemon twist, and enjoy!

The French 75 draws its name from the French 75mm field gun used during World War I—famed for its power and precision, capable of firing 15 rounds per minute. Much like its namesake, the cocktail delivers quite a kick.

While variations of the drink date back to around 1915, during the war, the version that stuck and most closely resembles what we know today appeared in the late 1920s. It made its print debut in Here’s How by Judge Jr., where it was notably served in a tall glass (most likely a Collins) rather than the champagne flute that’s common today.

Over the following decades, countless minor tweaks surfaced—usually just shifts in proportion—but two things stayed consistent: the combination of gin, citrus, and champagne, and the Collins glass presentation. It wasn’t until the latter part of the 20th century that the flute became the standard vessel for champagne cocktails.

As for why the original was served in a Collins glass, there are two leading theories. The first: it’s a riff on the Tom Collins, simply swapping champagne for soda water. The second—and our favorite—is that the shape of the glass nods to the 75mm shells themselves. Whichever story you prefer, whether you take yours in a Collins or a flute, one thing remains certain: The French 75 packs one hell of a kick.