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    Home » Drinks and Cocktails

    French 95 (French 75 with Bourbon)

    Published: Dec 28, 2022 by Melissa · This post contains links that pay me a small commission at no extra cost to you.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Pinterest image with the words "French 95 with bourbon" as text overlay.
    Pinterest image with words "Bourbon French 95, French 75 with Bourbon)" in text overlay.

    This bubbly, bourbon-based French 95 is the perfect twist on the popular French 75 cocktail recipe with a bourbon kick. It is quite the treat that any bourbon lover will enjoy. Plus, it only takes a few minutes and simple ingredients to make. 

    Coupe glass with a dried citrus wheel as garnish.

    French 75s are one of my favorite cocktails. If you are looking for other variations of the French 75, you should also check out my Empress Gin French 75, which has a beautiful purple hue. 

    For the bourbon lovers, you’ll absolutely love this Peach Bourbon Smash.

    Jump to:
    • Why you’ll love this recipe
    • Ingredient Notes
    • Step-by-Step Instructions
    • Recipe FAQ
    • Related recipes
    • French 95 Recipe

    Why you’ll love this recipe

    • It has simple ingredients. All of the ingredients can be found in any grocery or liquor store.
    • It has a unique flavor that is complex and layered thanks to the addition of the bourbon instead of the traditional gin.
    • It feels extra special with all of the bubbles from the prosecco.

    Ingredient Notes

    Ingredients shown for a French 95.

    Bourbon – Choose your favorite bourbon. I would just avoid any super cheap bourbon. It’s not a super strongly flavored cocktail, so your cocktail will only be as good as your bourbon.

    Lemon juice – Fresh lemon juice is always best when it comes to flavor. If you have trouble with lemons going bad too quickly, make a habit of squeezing the lemon juice into ice cube trays so that you’re never without fresh lemon juice. 

    Simple syrup – Simple syrup is made with equal parts sugar and water. You can easily make it in the microwave if you don’t want to make on the stovetop.

    Prosecco – Prosecco is a dry (brut) sparkling wine and is perfect for a French 95 (and 75.) This cocktail already has simple syrup so a sweet sparkling wine or Champagne would likely be too sweet. You can use brut Champagne here, but I usually use prosecco or cava in wine-based cocktails.

    Garnish – This is optional, but you can garnish with a fresh or dried citrus wheel. 

    Step-by-Step Instructions

    Steps 1 and 2 showing adding the bourbon and lemon juice to the cocktail shaker.

    Steps 1-2: Add the bourbon and lemon juice to a cocktail shaker. 

    Steps 3 and 4 showing adding the simple syrup and straining into the cocktail glass.

    Step 3: Add the simple syrup. Then, add ice cubes and shake until well chilled.

    Step 4: Strain into a cocktail glass.

    Steps 5 and 6 showing adding the sparkling wine and garnishing with a citrus wheel.

    Step 5: Top with prosecco (or other sparkling wine). 

    Step 6 (optional): Garnish with dried citrus, if desired.

    Pro tip: Always add your ice after you add your ingredients to a cocktail shaker for the least amount of dilution. 

    Recipe FAQ

    What is a French 75 vs. French 95?

    The major difference is that a French 75 is made with gin and a French 95 is made with bourbon. You can also use whiskey as well. (Bourbon is just one type of American whiskey.)

    Why do they call it a French 75 (or French 95)?

    A French 75 is a classic cocktail that was named after the 75mm used in the World War I era by the French military because the drink packed quite the punch. French 95s are a variation of the French 75 that uses bourbon instead of gin. 

    What kind of glassware should I use for a French 95?

    Given it is a sparkling wine/champagne cocktail, I recommend a coupe glass (like I used) or a champagne flute.

    Coupe glass reflecting light onto a wood cutting board.

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      Negroni Sbagliato (with Prosecco – Negroni Spritz)

    Did you love this cocktail?
    Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments section below.
    Reviews will help others find this recipe!

    Coupe glass with a dried citrus wheel as garnish.

    French 95 Recipe

    Melissa
    This bubbly, bourbon-based French 95 is the perfect twist on the popular French 75 cocktail recipe with a bourbon kick.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Total Time 5 minutes mins
    Course Cocktails
    Cuisine American, French
    Servings 1 cocktail

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 ½ ounce bourbon
    • ¾ ounce lemon juice
    • 1 ounce simple syrup
    • 3-4 ounces prosecco (Dry sparkling wine or Champagne)

    Instructions
     

    • Add the bourbon, lemon juice, and simple syrup to a cocktail shaker.
    • Add ice and shake until well chilled.
    • Strain into a cocktail glass and top with prosecco.

    Notes

    Tips:
    • Always add your ice after you add your ingredients to a cocktail shaker for the least amount of dilution.
    • Opt for a dry sparkling wine like prosecco or cava. Champagne will also do well. Dry wines are usually noted with the word “brut.”
    • To make homemade simple syrup, add equal parts sugar and water together, then warm and stir until sugar is dissolved. This can also be done in the microwave. 
    CLICK TO DISPLAY NUTRITION INFO

    Nutrition

    Calories: 221kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 0.1gFat: 0.1gSaturated Fat: 0.01gSodium: 23mgPotassium: 115mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 22gVitamin A: 1IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 13mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    Reader Interactions

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    1. CH

      January 23, 2023 at 10:44 am

      5 stars
      Loved this cocktail so much! Love bourbon and love a French 75 so it’s perfect

      Reply
    2. DJ

      January 21, 2023 at 1:10 pm

      5 stars
      Really good! I love whiskey sours and this is similar to that while adding Prosecco. Has a smooth apple cider type of taste. Loved it – thanks for sharing!

      Reply
      • Melissa

        January 31, 2023 at 4:23 pm

        Yes! Totally agree about the cider taste! Very glad you enjoyed it 🙂

        Reply

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    Hi, and welcome! 👋🏻 I’m Melissa, a RD with a Food Science degree living in Charleston, SC. I love sharing all my favorite food and cocktail recipes right here.

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