Preparation
- Chill the serving glass beforehand. Add the measured ingredients to a shaker.
- Add plenty of solid ice cubes and shake vigorously for about 10–15 seconds.
- Strain through a bar strainer into the chilled glass; the shaking ice stays in the shaker.
- Garnish to finish: freshly grated nutmeg.
What does it taste like?
Chocolate hits first. The brown cocoa liqueur brings plenty of sweetness, and the cream settles softly over it. This makes the drink feel thick and velvety, almost like cold drinking chocolate. The Cognac only comes through afterward, adding warmth and a light bite. Acidity is entirely absent: there's no lemon or juice in the recipe, so nothing tastes fresh or zippy. Two of the three parts are alcohol, so the drink is stronger than the cream suggests. At the end, the grated nutmeg lingers, spicy and dry.
When does it work best?
The Alexander suits the after-dinner slot, once dessert is done—or in place of it. Anyone who likes coffee with cream or loves chocolate will get it from the first sip. It's easy for beginners, since nothing tastes bitter or sour. Before a meal, though, it's the wrong choice: that much cream and sugar will kill your appetite.
What matters
Grate the nutmeg over the finished drink only. That way its aroma hits the nose right away, and that's part of what makes an Alexander an Alexander. Stick exactly to the three equal parts the first time. A very heavy, sweet cocoa liqueur will otherwise mask the Cognac. Shake hard with plenty of ice, or the cream stays thin and the drink turns out flat.
Where the drink comes from
The Alexander comes from the early cocktail culture of the 20th century. The first printed recipes list gin as the base spirit. The version made with Cognac is known today as the Brandy Alexander. Who first mixed the drink remains unclear—several stories all claim the invention for themselves. What is certain is the basic construction, and that has stayed the same over the decades: a spirit meets cocoa and cream. Over time the base spirit changed, but the idea did not.