Ingredients:

  • 1 sugar cube (white or demerara)
  • 4 dashes Angostura aromatic bitters
  • 0.5 oz gin or cognac
  • 5 oz Brut Champagne, chilled
  • 1 large strip of lemon zest

Instructions:

  1. Place the sugar cube on a small plate and saturate it with 4 dashes of bitters until it is mahogany-colored and soaked through. Drop the soaked cube into the bottom of a chilled champagne flute.
  2. Pour the chilled gin or cognac directly over the sugar cube to begin slowly dissolving the sugar and creating a concentrated flavor base.
  3. Tilt the glass at a 45-degree angle and slowly pour the chilled Champagne down the side of the glass to preserve carbonation and create a vertical stream of bubbles.
  4. Hold the lemon zest skin-side down over the glass and twist sharply to express the citrus oils over the drink's surface. Rub the peel along the rim and discard or use as garnish.