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    Home » Classic Cocktails » The Daisy is Not Just a Drink -- It is a family of Cocktails

    Published: Sep 18, 2020 · Modified: Feb 26, 2022 by Kevin Mayfield · This post may contain affiliate links.

    The Daisy is Not Just a Drink -- It is a family of Cocktails

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    The Daisy is a versatile cocktail family of drinks that has probably been the inspiration for several mid century cocktails we all enjoy today.

    A Brandy Daisy cocktail shown with a lemon twist in a cocktail glass surrounded by its ingredients
    The modern recipe for a Brandy Daisy is a bubbly delight

    Picking a Daisy is the Hard Part

    These popular cocktails have been around since at least the mid 1800's and are part of the Sour family of drinks. The Brandy Daisy has produced many alternatives and variations as it evolved. By the mid-1940's many recipes added new ingredients like Grenadine and powdered sugar. As you can see from Nancy's great grandfather's book Drinks (as seen in these photos) other juices like raspberry make an appearance. He even has a recipe for a chocolate Daisy! But it seems that by the mid century period, the Daisy became less complicated and settled on just a few ingredients that have stayed stable even til today.

    This excerpt from Jacques Straub's Drinks book was first publish in 1913.
    An excerpt from Jacques Straub's Drinks book

    The Daisy has inspired several famous drinks such as the Sidecar and, so I'm told, the Margarita -- which is the Spanish word for "daisy." One look at the list of ingredients below in the original recipe, and you can see that just substituting tequila for brandy gets you close to how we make them today.

    The family is always adding new members

    It is claimed that the more recent 'it' cocktail of the 90's, the Cosmo, is a descendent of the Daisy's simple spirit/sweetener/fruit juice combination. Take out the Brandy and substitute it with Vodka, and once again you can see its roots (no Sex in the City reference, I promise).

    Here are the Ingredients for Two Variations

    Just choosing among all the variations of which Daisy to make can work up a thirst. So, to taste the evolution of the drink I've chosen two different recipes. One from the original Daisy recipes and another more modern version.

    A Common Modern Daisy Recipe One of the Original Daisy Recipes*
    Brandy3-4 Dashes gum syrup
    Yellow Chartreuse2-3 Dashes Curacao Liqueur
    Lemon JuiceJuice of half small lemon
    Seltzer or Sparkling WaterOne small wine glass of Brandy
    Two Dashes of Jamaica Rum
    Seltzer
    The most common version of the Brandy Daisy we drink these days has a much simpler list of ingredients.

    * As seen in The Bartenders Guide or How To Mix Drinks: The Bon-Vivants Companion, Jerry Thomas, 1876 2nd Edition

    • A Brandy Daisy cocktail shown with a lemon twist in a cocktail glass surrounded by its ingredients

    I decided to perform a bit of a "taste test" between these two Daisy recipes to see which one we would prefer. I found the modern recipe to be very drinkable and similar to a Sidecar. The Yellow Chartreuse gave it a more complex, floral, earthy flavor than more common orange liqueurs. The 1876 Daisy recipe tasted very smooth with none of the rough edges you might find in a Sour cocktail. I preferred the original recipe and Nancy really liked the modern version made with Chartreuse. By the way, if you're not familiar with Chartreuse, then you really owe it to yourself to get a bottle of this wonderful liqueur. I'm a sucker for anything made by monks using a recipe from the 1600's, and this does not disappoint!

    Tips for Success

    When mixing up a Daisy, keep these things in mind for a successful batch:

    • Use only fresh lemon juice. Anything from a bottle will most likely taste overpowering.
    • Try using gum (or the French spelling of gomme) syrup. It is said to give your drink a richer taste than regular simple syrup, and can be easily found in liquor stores or online. Or you could try making it at home since it is a 2:1 sugar to water mixture that adds gum arabic.

    Which Daisy cocktail do you prefer? Have you tried our two finalists?

    A Brandy Daisy cocktail shown with a lemon twist in a cocktail glass surrounded by its ingredients

    The Daisy is Not Just a Drink -- It is a family of Cocktails

    Kevin Mayfield
    The tangy Daisy family of cocktails is ever changing and growing making it hard to 'pick' just one Daisy.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 2 mins
    Total Time 2 mins
    Course Classic Cocktails
    Cuisine American
    Servings 1 Cocktail
    Calories 181 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    The variation of the Brandy Daisy from 1876:

    • ¾ Ounces Curacao liqueur
    • ¾ Ounces Gum Syrup
    • ¾ Ounces fresh Lemon juice
    • ¾ Ounces Jamaica Rum
    • 1 ½ Ounces Brandy
    • Splash of Seltzer or Club Soda

    Modern variation of the Brandy Daisy recipe:

    • 1 ½ Ounces Brandy
    • ¾ Ounces Yellow Chartreuse
    • ¾ Ounces fresh Lemon juice
    • Splash of Seltzer or Club Soda

    Instructions
     

    • For either variant of this cocktail the ingredients may differ, but the directions are very similar.
    • Add one scoop of cracked ice to a cocktail shaker.
    • Pour in all ingredients.
    • Shake and strain into a cocktail glass.
    • Pour over sparkling water or seltzer to fill the glass.
    • Add a lemon twist for garnish.

    Notes

    Regardless of which recipe you choose, adding in a quality spirit will always make for a better tasting drink.
    Feel free to substitute bourbon or gin for the brandy.
    Nutrition is calculated for the modern version.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 181kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 1mgPotassium: 23mgFiber: 1gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 1IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 1mgIron: 1mg
    Keyword brandy, Chartreuse, Curacao, Daisy, Lemon, Rum, Sour, Vintage Cocktails
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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    Nancy and Bentley

    Hi, I'm Nancy! Welcome to Flourchild where I share classic mid-century recipes from the 1940's - 1970's. I feature many vintage handwritten recipes, and provide modern shortcuts and a variety of healthy and special diet-friendly versions whenever possible. Join me in exploring the delicious flavors and from-scratch cooking techniques of our past!

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