Sidecar（サイドカー）
Cognac, orange liqueur, lemon — the sour at its most elegant.
01Recipe
Recommended recipe
House spec — an editorial spec drawing on the sourced versions below.
| Ingredient | Measure |
|---|---|
| Cognac | 50 ml |
| Orange liqueur (Cointreau) | 20 ml |
| Fresh lemon juice | 20 ml |
Total volume (pre-dilution)
2.5 : 1 : 1
- 01
Rim the chilled coupe with sugar if using.
- 02
Shake all ingredients hard with ice.
- 03
Strain into the glass; express an orange twist.
Garnish — Sugared rim (optional) · orange twist
02Taste profile
- Sweetness
- 55Moderate
- Sourness*
- 89Intense
- Bitterness
- 15Faint
- Fruitiness
- 50Moderate
- Herbal*
- 0Faint
- Alcohol
- 55Moderate
- Crisp
- 60Strong
Independent editorial scores, 0–100. *Estimated from the ingredient list — a profile sketch, not a verdict.
03History
Paris, end of the First World War — the Ritz or Harry's New York Bar both claim it. The legend: a captain who arrived each evening in a motorcycle sidecar, wanting something warming before dinner.
Early recipes used equal parts; the settled form is roughly 2:1:1 — enough lemon to keep the cognac honest, enough liqueur to keep the lemon civil. The sugared rim ('sugar snow') is a later refinement, disputed but graceful.
It is the parent of an aristocratic family: the Margarita and the Kamikaze are its rowdier grandchildren.
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Origin contested — the entry keeps verified record and received legend distinct.
Sources — IBA Official Cocktails · Harry MacElhone, Harry's ABC of Mixing Cocktails (1919)
04Recipe versions
Each version is shown exactly as recorded in its source — unverified claims are flagged.
- IBA Official Cocktails
International Bartenders Association · iba-web-current · Official
- Cognac50 ml
- Triple Sec20 ml
- Lemon Juice20 ml
Pour all ingredients into cocktail shaker, shake well with ice, strain into chilled cocktail glass.
- The Savoy Cocktail Book
Harry Craddock · 1930 · Book · unverified
- ½ brandy
- ¼ Cointreau
- ¼ lemon juice
Shake, strain into a sugared-rim glass.
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05Variations
- VariationBetween the SheetsRum joins the brandy; shaken with lemon→
- Ingredient swapChelsea SidecarGin replaces brandy — drier, brighter
- VariationBalalaikaVodka in the base slot
06The map
Ingredients
Spirits
People
