St. Clement’s 75

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Cocktail History

The St. Clement’s 75 is a Christmas cocktail that was created by Emma Stokes and was first published in her book Have Yourself a Merry Little Cocktail: 80 Cheerful Tipples to Warm Up Winter. This festive twist on the classic French 75 retains the original’s base of sparkling wine, gin, and lemon juice but introduces a creative seasonal flourish. The star ingredient is a homemade spiced orange syrup, which brings warmth and depth to the drink’s citrusy profile. Its name, a charming nod to the English nursery rhyme “Oranges & Lemons,” evokes the festive cheer of winter holidays while pairing nostalgic flavors with elegant presentation.

Cocktail Ingredients

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:

Sparkling Wine: This is a type of wine made with white grapes and yeast, which are fermented with the skins to produce alcohol and then infused with carbon dioxide gas to develop a pale yellow-green color and crisp, fruity flavor.

Gin: This is a spirit made by redistilling a neutral spirit with juniper berries and other botanicals to develop a distinctive, aromatic flavor.

Lemon Juice: This is the liquid extracted from the flesh of ripe lemons that has a sweet, tangy flavor and light yellow color.

Spiced Orange Syrup: This is a sweetener made with orange juice, spices, ginger root, vanilla, white sugar, and water, which are heated and infused into a syrup with a spiced, tangy flavor.

Star Anise: This is a spice made from the fruit of an evergreen tree, which is dried for its strong, licorice-like flavor.

Bartending Tools

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:

Bar Mat: This is a rubber or silicone mat that’s placed on the bar surface to catch spills, provide grip for glasses and tools, and keep the workspace clean and organized. I used the Highball & Chaser 18×12 Bar Mat.

Jigger: This is a small, double-sided measuring tool that’s used to accurately portion spirits and mixers, typically with one side measuring 1 oz and the other 1.5 or 2 oz. I used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.

Boston Shaker: This is a two-piece cocktail shaker consisting of a metal tin and a glass or metal mixing glass that’s used for shaking and blending ingredients. I used the Boston shaker from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.

Hawthorne Strainer: This is a metal strainer with a spring around its edge that’s used to filter out ice and solids when pouring the cocktail into a glass. I used the A Bar Above Hawthorne Strainer.

Paring Knife: This is a small, sharp kitchen knife with a narrow blade that’s used for peeling, trimming, and garnishing. I used the OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife.

Juicer: This is a handheld tool that’s used to extract juice from fruits by pressing or twisting it against a reamer or cone. I used the Black+Decker 32 oz Electric Citrus Juicer.

Coupe Glass: This is a stemmed, shallow, wide-bowled glass that’s designed to enhance aroma and presentation. I used a thrifted coupe glass.

Tasting Notes

This cocktail has the following flavor profile:

• Appearance: Faint yellow color

• Aroma: Anise and wine

• Taste: Citrus and bubbly wine flavor that explodes into the syrup’s orange and baking spices

• Finish: Gin botanicals and more tart citrus and grape

Kendall’s Take: “It’s hard not to enjoy a French 75 because its flavors are fairly inoffensive. If you’re wanting a similar bubbly drink with added complexity and holiday flair, this is it! The St. Clement’s 75 was surprisingly unique and has an explosion of flavors that take this template to new heights. One sip, and you’ll likely never want a classic French 75 again.”

Recipe

This cocktail recipe was found in the book Have Yourself a Merry Little Cocktail: 80 Cheerful Tipples to Warm Up Winter by Emma Stokes.