With the warmer weather creeping in and the Summer season just around the corner, the time has finally come to whip out your bar cart essentials, and mix up some delicious, summery cocktails that you can enjoy from the comfort of your own home. And what better cocktails to start with, than ones created by a Top 5 Bartender! 

Andie Bulley from Savile Row Bar in QLD is one of Australia’s most sought after bartenders, recently taking home the gold as  ‘Rookie of the Year’ at the 2023 Bartender Awards, as well as recently placing in the top 5 in the coveted Diago World Class. Heading into the warmer months, she has teamed up with Monnet Cognac, to create three unique cocktail recipes that are perfect for the holiday hosting seasons.

All of Andie’s delicious cocktails use the up-and-coming spirit Cognac, specifically Andie’s favourite brand, Monnet Cognac. The French brand was founded in 1838 and Monnet Cognac sets itself apart by the radiant glow and sunny colouring of the spirit, commonly known as the ‘Sunny Side of Cognac.’

Andie states, “Cognac is a spirit that is going to be massive in the next few years. It is an exciting time to be bringing this spirit to the attention of the Australian public!” With over 8000 whiskeys and over 30 cognacs behind the bar at Savile Row, Andie certainly knows what she’s talking about.

“Cognac can be seen as unapproachable, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. It is a delicious spirit that can be used in a multitude of ways, either straight, in cocktails or on the rocks. It has so many diverse uses, and due to its floral and tart flavour notes, it makes it the perfect spirit to add to any of your favourite cocktails.”

Andie’s three Monnet Cognac cocktails are the perfect showstoppers for Summer hosting, with a great option for everyone from fruity fans, all the way to after-dinner sippers.

Andie’s top three recipes:

Monnet VSOP Fix

This little fruity number is perfect for hot days on the deck. It’s zesty, refreshing and is the ultimate segway for introducing Monnet into your cocktail collection.

Ingredients

45mls Monnet VS

15mls Barley Syrup

15mls Peach Verjus

20mls Lemon

Instructions

Peach Verjus

To 1 litre of Verjus, add 700ml Peach Liquor

Stir until combined

Barley Syrup

Add 100g of white pearl barley to 1kg sugar and 1kg water to pot

Cook on medium to low heat for 20 minutes

Strain and store

Equipment

• Stove top
• Cocktail shaker
• Hawthorne strainer
• Fine mesh strainer
• Coupe
• Nip measurer
• Peeler
• Pot

Method

• Combine all ingredients to a shaking tin
• Shake cocktail until reached desired dilution/temperature
• Double strain into coupe glass
• Garnish with lemon wing

 

Monnet VS Swizzle

This showstopper screams Saturday night dinner parties with friends. It is

sweet, sultry and is the perfect tall drink to sip your way through the Summer.

Ingredients

30mls Monnet VS

30mla passionfruit Pulp Apera

20mls Lemon

15mls White Chocolate Liquor

10mls Honey

Instructions

Passionfruit Apera

60:45 Ratio to Passionfruit Pulp

Equipment

• Cocktail Shaker
• Hawthrone Strainer
• Tall Glass
• Microplane
• Nip Measurer
• Peeler
  

Method

• Build all ingredients into shaker
• Shake and strain into a tall glass
• Add two scoops of crushed ice and lightly swizzle
• Top with crushed ice
• Grate nutmeg on top
• Garnish with lemon twist

Monnet VSOP Stir Down:

For the hardcore spirit fans in your life who aren’t looking for a summery cocktail vibe, this is a spin on the classic Old Fashioned.

Ingredients:

• 50mls Monnet VSOP
• 20mls Banana Liquor
• 10mls Cardamom Cordial
• 2 Dashes Angostura Bitters
  

Instructions:

• Cardamom Cordial
• To a pot, combine 10g of Cardamom (lightly toasted) 175ml sugar syrup and 5g of Malic Acid
• Cook on low to medium heat for 25 mis
• Stain and bottle
  

Method:

• Combine all the ingredients in a stirring glass
• Stir the cocktail until reaches the desired dilution
• Pour into a whiskey glass
• Add a large cube of ice
• Garnish with torched banana Lolly
  

Equipment:

• Stove Top
• Pot
• Stirring Glass
• Stirring Spoon
• Strainer(Tulip/ Hawthorne)
• Whiskey Glass
• Skewer
• Lighter/Blowtorch

 

The Monnet Cognac range is available to purchase nationally at Dan Murphy’s.

For more information, please visit https://www.monnet.com/ or https://www.instagram.com/cognacmonnet/

For further information, recipes or images, contact:

About Monnet Cognac

Monnet Cognac was founded in July 1838 under the name of "SOCIETE DES PROPRIETAIRES VINICOLES DE COGNAC" by a hundred of the smallest local growers, becoming the very first co-op in the Cognac industry, wishing to escape the quasi-monopoly of the big brands. (Hennessy, Martel, Courvoisier, and Remy Martin). 

It is the first industrial building to have been manufactured in accordance with the logical manufacturing protocol which was considered innovative and ahead of its time, being the first to include every step of the Cognac production process in one state-of-the-art site.

In 1897, the shareholders' assembly appointed Jean Gabriel MONNET to manage the house. In addition to his knowledge, Jean Gabriel MONNET brought his name and registered the brand as well as what was to become the symbol of the House, the Salamander.

Now, Monnet is known for decades of rich history and its renowned 1920s poster, ‘Sunshine in a glass’.

The Monnet range includes Monnet VS, Monnet Sunshine, Monnet VSOP, Monnet XO Flamboyant, Monnet XXO and Monnet Salamander spiced liquor.