2 Champagne Cocktails Taste Test

I'm always eager to read over cocktail menus especially since these are the revival days of the mixologist, where bartenders receive as much acclaim for their inventions as four star chefs. The drinks with the most exotic ingredients grab my attention first but in the end it's usually the simplest drink I like the most. This was the case for 2 champagne cocktails I had at the Gramercy Park Hotel last night.

1st up: the James Bond
Hennessey Cognac, Orange Curacao, a splash of pineapple and fresh lime topped with Prosecco

2nd: classic Champagne cocktail
Champagne, bitters, cube of sugar

I preferred #2. I had high hopes for the James Bond--which wasn't too different than the classic--but the juices overpowered the other flavors in the flute making it too sugary and less fizzy. When you have such a little space to work with, balance and proportion is crucial to nail. You can get away with mistakes in a pitcher but not so much in a delicate glass like a flute.

I was also enamored with the way the sugar cube dissolved in the bottom, adding more bubbles to the visual.