Brandy Melba

This cocktail of the Melba family is supposed to imitate a dessert named after the Australian singer Nellie Melba. The dessert, called the Peach Melba, was invented by the chef of New York's Savoy Hotel, also the site of many cocktails in its heyday.

I felt it necessary to hurry up and feature this cocktail while fresh peaches are available, even though no fresh peach is used besides the garnish. Cognac here please, and in this case it is Martell Single Distillery for its dry cleanness. There's plenty of sweet ingredients in the recipe to compensate.

It's a fittingly French set of ingredients with Chambord in there as well. For the rest I used peach whiskey by Evan Williams.

• 2 oz. brandy (Martell cognac please)
• 1/2 oz. raspberry liqueur (Chambord used)
• 1/2 oz. peach brandy (Evan Williams peach whiskey used)
• 1/2 oz. lemon juice
• 3-5 dashes orange bitters (homemade bitters used)
•  peach slice

Combine liquid ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with the peach slice.