Minute To Midnight

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Cocktail History

The Minute To Midnight is a Sips From Scripts original cocktail that was created as a variation of the After Midnight, which is a riff on the classic Kir Royale that was first published in Winter Warmers: 60 Cosy Cocktails for Autumn & Winter by Jassy Davis. The author’s recipe called for sparkling wine and crème de figue, but since we weren’t able to locate a bottle of fig liqueur in our area, we substituted it for pear liqueur and added Armagnac to create a more complex twist on New Year’s Eve bubbly.

Cocktail Ingredients

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

Sparkling Wine: This is a carbonated wine made with white or red grapes. We used Freixenet Cordon Negro Brut because it features pear, apple, and citrus, flavor with notes of grapefruit, lemon, almond, and toast. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Gruvi Non-Alcoholic Prosecco in place of the sparkling wine.

Armagnac: This is a type of brandy made in Armagnac, France with distilled white wine. We used ODVI Armagnac because it’s fresh, fruity, peppery, and mild with notes of peach and prune. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Escape Mocktails Non-Alcoholic Cognac Alternative in place of the brandy.

Pear Liqueur: This is a liqueur made with Bartlett pears, quince, sugar, and alcohol. We used Maison Ferrand Mathilde Poire Liqueur because it has a rich fruit flavor. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Monin Premium Pear Syrup in place of the pear liqueur.

Aromatic Bitters: This is a food product made with botanicals, herbs, and alcohol. We used Angostura Aromatic Bitters. For a mocktail version of this drink, try All The Bitter Alcohol-Free Aromatic Bitters in place of the aromatic bitters.

Lemon Twist: This is the peel of a lemon that has been twisted into a corkscrew shape.

Bartending Tools

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

Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. We used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.

Bar Spoon: This is used to stir ingredients. We used the Barfly Stainless Steel Teardrop Bar Spoon.

Peeler: This is used to remove the garnish peel from the citrus. We used the OXO Good Grips 2-Piece Peeler Set.

Tasting Notes

The Minute To Midnight begins with the aromas of citrus and sparkling wine and tastes mostly like the bubbly with notes of Armagnac, fruit, and bitters in the aftertaste.

Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: This is another drink we both absolutely loved, Kendall especially! She has already said she will definitely be sipping the Minute To Midnight when the ball drops this New Year’s Eve and many others to come.

Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.

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Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.

Take Our Quiz →

Alex’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“When coming up with this cocktail for New Year’s Eve, I used the classic Champagne Cocktail as a template and split up the brandy with a bit of French pear liqueur. The resulting cocktail is very delicious delicious. By using the fruity sweetness of the pear liqueur to combat the dryness of the distilled grape spirit, the recipe is able to bring some light fruitiness to the palate that plays well with the fun bubbliness of the sparkling wine.”

Kendall’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Gin is the spirit that is most often paired with sparkling wine, but I’ve really come to love cocktails that call for brandy instead. In my opinion, gin is often overpowered far too much by the bubbly despite its unique botanical flavor, meanwhile brandy has a darkness that shines right through. That’s certainly the case with the Minute To Midnight; this drink’s flavors dance across your tongue with a bit of effervescence thanks to the sparkling wine. It’s also not too dry or too sweet but just right for a NYE crowd with varying tastes in boozy beverages. I really, really love this one!”

Recipe

AuthorSips From Scripts

Yields1 ServingPrep Time5 mins

Ingredients
 Dry Sparkling Wine
 ½ oz Armagnac
 ½ oz Pear Liqueur
 2 dashes Aromatic Bitters
 1 Lemon Twist

Method
1

Add brandy, pear liqueur, and bitters to a champagne glass.

2

Top with sparkling wine.

3

Garnish with lemon twist.

Ingredients

Ingredients
 Dry Sparkling Wine
 ½ oz Armagnac
 ½ oz Pear Liqueur
 2 dashes Aromatic Bitters
 1 Lemon Twist

Directions

Method
1

Add brandy, pear liqueur, and bitters to a champagne glass.

2

Top with sparkling wine.

3

Garnish with lemon twist.

Minute To Midnight

Make It a Mocktail: Use Gruvi Non-Alcoholic Prosecco in place of the sparkling wine, Escape Mocktails Non-Alcoholic Cognac Alternative in place of the brandy, Monin Premium Pear Syrup in place of the pear liqueur, and All The Bitter Alcohol-Free Aromatic Bitters in place of the aromatic bitters to try a booze-free version of this drink.

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More Sparkling Wine Cocktails

If you like this sparkling wine-based cocktail recipe, here are a few others we’ve tried that you may enjoy:

British 75 Cocktail Recipe

British 75: A gin cocktail made with lemon juice, simple syrup, sparkling wine, and a lemon wedge

Wild Rose Cocktail Recipe

Wild Rose: A tequila cocktail made with pineapple gum syrup, maraschino liqueur, Angostura aromatic bitters, dry sparkling wine, and an orange twist

Pomegranate Gin Fizz Cocktail Recipe

Pomegranate Gin Fizz: A gin cocktail made with grenadine, sparkling wine, pomegranate seeds, and a Demerara sugar cube

Mountaintop Meadow Cocktail Recipe

Mountaintop Meadow: A vodka cocktail made with elderflower liqueur, simple syrup, lavender bitters, dry sparkling wine, a pineapple wedge, and mint

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