Brian Nagele
With the ideal Hennessy mixers, you can take a basic drink and turn it into a sophisticated masterpiece. Famous for its rich and smooth cognac, Hennessy serves as a blank canvas for mixologists trying to create a harmonious blend of flavors. These mixers provide countless options for creating mouthwatering concoctions, regardless of your level of experience in mixology. This essay covers the art of matching Hennessy with the best mixers, from traditional combinations that bring out the richness of the whiskey’s oak-aged overtones to creative mixes that push the boundaries of taste. Prepare to go on a delicious adventure as you discover the mysteries of a genuinely remarkable Hennessy cocktail experience. Let’s toast to the ideal pour!
Tonic Water
Tonic water is a popular spirit mixer, but it originated as a medicinal tonic to cure Malaria. The key ingredient is quinine, extracted from the bark of the South American Cinchona tree. Quinine gives tonic water a distinct bitter finish. Most tonic waters have added sugar for a sweet and bitter palate that adds depth and fizziness when added to Hennessey.
Ginger Ale
Ginger ale is another remedial beverage that doubles perfectly as a Hennessey mixer. It has a delicate carbonation and a subtle gingery sweetness that calms the stomach and blends well with the fruity, spicy, and tobacco flavors inherent in Hennessy’s Privilege cognac. On Hennessey’s website, they provide the perfect ratio of ginger ale to Hennessey in their Ginger Cocktail.
Coca Cola
A twist on the classic rum and coke, Hennessy and coke is a much more elegant and complex two-ingredient cocktail. Hennessey ages its cognac in oak barrels, instilling rich flavors of caramel and vanilla. Considering the popularity of Vanilla Coke, Hennessy and Coke both mimics the flavor and adds a nice helping of alcohol to the mix.
Club Soda
Hennessy cognac is a wonderful spirit to sip as it has a complex flavor profile and a smooth finish the longer it’s aged. If you love the taste of Hennessey but find it a bit too strong to sip neat, club soda is what you mix with Hennessy. Club soda adds both carbonation and sodium to neutralize the strength of alcohol in Hennessy while also enhancing its flavor.
Guava Juice
Guava is a tropical fruit with pink, pulpy, and gritty flesh that has a flowery, slightly sweet flavor. Most guava juices have added sugar. Guava juice, like tonic water, has a sweet palate and a bitter, dry finish. I like to combine guava juice, Hennessey, and lime juice with strawberry puree for a fruity cognac cocktail.
Margarita Mix
There are countless pre-prepared margarita mixes on the market, but it’s exceedingly simple to make your own with a mixture of water, lime juice, and sugar. The tart and sweet citrus mix doesn’t have to be for tequila alone. This Hennessy margarita adds equal parts Hennessey, tequila, and Cointreau to the margarita mix for a rich, alcoholic libation.
Pineapple Juice
Pineapple has an unmistakably tropical flavor that works well with spice, and you’ll see it covered in chili powder or combined with raw chilies for salsas in Mexico. Pineapple juice adds acidic sweetness to complement Hennessey’s spicy palate. I like to combine margarita or sour mix with pineapple juice with Hennessy to create a Hennessy Sour.
Apple Juice
Apple juice is the sweetest Hennessey mixer, complementing a spicy and robust pour of cognac. Hennessey recommends using unfiltered apple juice for added texture and an all-natural depth of flavor. I recommend combining apple juice with Hennessy’s signature V.S, with its creamy texture, vanilla flavor, and crisp botanical finish.
Cranberry Juice
Cranberry juice is a classic fall beverage, its tart flavor and rich, silky texture offering a deep crimson color that dresses up any cocktail. Many times, cranberry juice comes in a blend with a sweeter fruit like apple or pineapple. With that sentiment, I recommend a cranberry and pineapple juice Hennessy cocktail.
Ice Tea
Iced tea encompasses a wide range of flavors, from black to green, to herbal. Teas, like wine, have a dry finish due to their tannin content. Considering Hennessey is a spirit made from wine, tea will accentuate a dry finish. It’s also a refreshing mixer that I like to combine with lemon and sugar in a Hennessy-spiked Southern sweet tea.
Lemon Juice
Lemons are a favorite flavor enhancer for most beverages and dishes. Lemon juice offers a bright, sour punch to any drink and helps temper sweetness. Lemon juice is a key ingredient in numerous Hennessey cocktail recipes, from Hennessey Honey cocktails to my personal favorite, the Punch Royal.
Lemon Soda
Lemon soda is essentially a fizzy sour mix. You can make your own fizzy lemonade or buy manufactured lemon soda. I like the Schweppes Bitter Lemon on the San Pellegrino Limonata soda varieties. I like to combine lemon soda with Hennessy and muddled strawberries for a summery cognac cocktail.
Sprite
In contrast to lemon soda, Sprite is a lemon-lime soda with a sweeter lime flavor. It has a heavy carbonation and sodium content which serves to accentuate the lemon and lime flavoring. Hennessey offers a delicious sprite cocktail called the Playmaker that combines sprite, cranberry juice, and lemon juice with Hennessy.
