Easy
Sweet
3 minutes
Champagne Glass
Ingredients
How to Make a Alfonso
Bar tools you’ll need
Jigger
Twist Knife
Bar Spoon
How to Mix
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Place the Sugar Cube into a Champagne glass.
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Dash Orange Bitters over the Sugar Cube.
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Pour Dubonnet into the glass.
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Stir with a Bar Spoon to dissolve the sugar.
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Top with Champagne.
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Twist Lemon Zest over the drink and drop it in.
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Sip and enjoy!
All about the Alfonso Cocktail
The Alfonso cocktail is a spirited blend of Dubonnet, a Sugar Cube, Orange Bitters, and Champagne. Citrus from Lemon Zest rounds out its bittersweet character. This cocktail is built by dissolving sugar and bitters, stirring in Dubonnet, then topping with bubbles for a glass that’s equal parts crisp and aromatic. Served in a Champagne Glass, it delivers a taste that’s herbal, citrusy, and just the right amount of bittersweet. The Alfonso is famed for its simplicity-quick preparation, minimal tools, and impressive complexity for such an approachable drink.
Alfonso opens with ripe stone fruit and caramel, carried by silky sweetness and a light exotic spice that lingers. Herbal notes and a bittersweet finish make each sip balanced and softly vibrant.
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Sugar Cube Upgrade: Go Luxe and Precise
Swap your regular Sugar Cube for a Demerara Sugar Cube to bring out caramel undertones and extra flavor when muddling with your Bar Spoon. -
Bitters Boost: Layer for Complexity
Add 1–2 dashes of Angostura with your Orange Bitters, or try a split with Regans’ Orange Bitters for punchier citrus that pops through the Champagne. -
Dubonnet Dial-In: Chill and Measure
Use ice-cold Dubonnet and take your time stirring it in so the crisp, herbal nature doesn’t get dull from warm or lazily stirred spirits. -
Champagne Topper: Finesse the Foam
Choose a dry sparkling wine like Prosecco or Cava and pour gently to keep the bubbles lively and the flavors really singing to the finish. -
Citrus Zest Mastery: Oils Are Everything
Express your Lemon Zest wide over the glass, rim it for aromatic impact, and even finish with a Grapefruit Zest micro-twist for extra herbal complexity.
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Use a Grapefruit Zest Twist
Add a micro-twist of Grapefruit Zest after your Lemon Zest for a punch of color and a subtle, peppery bitterness that accentuates the herbal flavors. -
Chilled Spoon for Guest Stirring
Serve your Alfonso with a pre-chilled Bar Spoon on the side to let guests stir as they sip-it’s a fun way to engage and keeps flavors evolving in the glass.
Alfonso FAQ
You can make an Alfonso in about three minutes from start to finish, making it a quick choice for any occasion.
The Alfonso is defined by herbal, citrus, and bittersweet flavors, all brightened up with Champagne and a citrus twist.
The Alfonso is traditionally served in a Champagne Glass, which shows off the bubbles and citrus zest beautifully.
