Brandy Crusta

2 oz Cognac
1 bsp Curaçao
1 ds Bitters, Boker's (or Angostura)
1⁄2 t Lemon juice (as garnish)
1⁄4 c Sugar (to rim glass, as garnish)
1⁄2 Lemon (peeled in one spiral, as garnish)
Instructions

Moisten rim of coupe with lemon juice. Rim glass with sugar. Add a small lump of ice to the glass, and insert peel, which should protrude over the top of the glass. Stir the cognac, curacao and bitters together, and strain into the prepared glass.

Notes

The Brandy Crusta is a precursor to the sidecar. The original poster had the cocktail as 2 oz cognac, 1/2 oz each Curacao and lemon juice, 1/4 oz simple, and 2 dashes of Boker's.

History

Jerry Thomas says the drink was invented by one "Santina, a celebrated Spanish caterer".

Cocktail summary
Brandy Crusta
©2012 Zachary Pearson
Posted by Ethan on
Created by
Santina (Joe Santini? New Orleans)
Year
1862
Is an
authentic recipe
Reference

"How to Mix Drinks, or the Bon Vivant's Companion", and "Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails", Ted Haigh.

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Comments

Cleaned this up to reflect the Ted Haigh version and to bring it in line with the Jerry Thomas recipe. The original drink was much more like a Cognac sour (with 3/4 oz sweet and 1/2 oz sour in addition to the Cognac).

Like the Mint Julep, the allure of the Crusta is the forcible insertion of your nose into the towering lemon peel. There is enough lemon from the moistened rim and the aroma of the peel to balance this, and the sugar helps moderate the woodyness and proof of the Cognac (the drink pictured is 1 oz Louis Royer Force 53 and 1 oz Germain Robin Viognier Single Barrel). 

Thanks,

Zachary