A classic earns its longevity by being open to reinvention. The French 77 is itself a variation: created by Simon Difford in 2006, it riffs on the French 75, the early-20th-century combination associated with Harry MacElhone and Harry’s New York Bar in Paris. Nearly two decades later, Stefano Agostino has taken the drink in another direction. Agostino, Bar Manager at Langosteria Ally’s Bar, part of Gruppo Langosteria, makes only a handful of changes to the recipe, but they fundamentally alter its texture and flavor.
Fat-Washed Gin and Elderflower Liqueur
The starting point is gin fat-washed with extra- virgin olive oil from Partanna, Sicily. The technique lends the spirit a silkier texture and a subtle herbaceous quality while rounding out the sharper edges of the gin. Agostino pairs it with an elderflower liqueur made in-house during the flowering season from a recipe the bar keeps to itself. Its fragrant, floral character provides a counterpoint to the savory richness of the olive oil.
Fresh lemon juice supplies acidity and keeps the cocktail brisk, while Blanc de Blancs Champagne brings freshness, minerality and a fine stream of bubbles. Agostino is refreshingly straightforward about the idea behind it. “It’s simply a fresh, easy-drinking twist on the classic.” That simplicity is part of its appeal.
The Recipe Behind French 77, Langosteria Ally’s Bar’s Bestselling Cocktail
The French 77 has become one of the bar’s bestsellers, a drink that feels immediately familiar while revealing its differences gradually: first the Champagne and citrus, then the elderflower, and finally the softer texture and faint vegetal notes of the olive oil. It also captures the approach behind the bar at Langosteria Ally’s Bar: precise technique applied to carefully chosen ingredients, with little interest in unnecessary complication. The French 77 may begin with a familiar template, but Agostino shows that a classic can still be pushed somewhere new without losing the qualities that made it endure in the first place.
Ingredients
- 30 ml gin fat-washed with Partanna extra-virgin olive oil
- 10 ml elderflower liqueur
- 15 ml fresh lemon juice
- 1 bar spoon granulated sugar
- 30 ml Blanc de Blancs Champagne
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil–Washed Gin
Combine 20 g of Partanna extra-virgin olive oil with 1 liter of gin in a vacuum-sealed bag and leave to infuse at room temperature for two days. Fat-wash the gin, removing the solidified fat before use.
Method
Shake all the ingredients except the Champagne with ice. Strain into the glass and top with Blanc de Blancs Champagne.
Garnish
None.
The article first appeared on Coqtail – for fine drinkers. Order your copy here
Foto courtesy Langosteria
