What does a Champagne cocktail taste like?
A Champagne cocktail tastes like dry bubbly that slowly gets sweeter and spicier, thanks to a sugar cube soaked in Angostura bitters dissolving at the bottom.
Champagne cocktail
dressed-up bubbly
The Champagne cocktail is about as old-school as it gets: a sugar cube soaked in Angostura bitters, dropped into a flute and topped with Champagne, with a lemon twist. The first sips taste mostly like the wine, crisp and toasty like fresh bread. As the cube melts, the drink picks up sweetness and a warm clove and cinnamon edge from the bitters, and the cube keeps the bubbles streaming. Some bars add a splash of cognac, which makes it rounder and stronger. It's simple, elegant and very easy to like.
Where you’ll see it
On classic cocktail lists and New Year's Eve menus, served in a flute with a lemon twist. If it says "with cognac" or "Champagne Cocktail Royale," expect a little more weight.
Order it if you want Champagne with a little more going on, but nothing sweet or heavy.
Quick questions
- What is in a Champagne cocktail?
- A sugar cube, a few dashes of Angostura bitters, Champagne and a lemon twist. Some recipes add a splash of cognac or brandy.
- Is a Champagne cocktail sweet?
- Only a little. It starts dry and gets slightly sweeter as the sugar cube dissolves, but it stays much drier than a mimosa or Bellini.