Taylor Precedent

The traditional Champagne Cocktail is a fairly straightforward concoction. Drop a sugar cube into a Champagne flute, dot it with bitters and add the sparkling wine. But there’s also plenty of room to mess with this simple formula—often this means adding some kind of liquor, like gin in the French 75 or bourbon in a Seelbach. But this over-the-top drink from bar pro Meaghan Dorman goes even further, starting with a sparkling French wine not from Champagne, and adding an unconventional spirit as well as a measure of vermouth. Fans of the bubbly side of the cocktail world should try making the Taylor Precedent. It may become your new go-to for after-dinner libations.

The Taylor Precedent is an international drink, as it starts with Laird’s Bonded Apple Brandy, a high-proof apple brandy from New Jersey and one of the United States’ oldest spirits. Then, Carpano Antica Formula from Italy (or another high-quality sweet vermouth) adds richness and botanicals. Crémant de Jura, the term for sparkling wines from the Jura region of eastern France, lends bright acidity that contrasts the warmth of apple brandy. However, if you can’t find a bottle or if you’d rather use Champagne or another sparkling wine, that would work fine.

In addition to apple brandy and sweet vermouth, a dash of Tiki bitters and a half-ounce of cinnamon syrup, rather than simple syrup, add toastiness and depth to the drink. The result is deep, lush and bold, a perfect way to close out an evening.