Name: Burnt Fuselage
Total time: 3 min
Cuisine: Cocktail
Ingredients: 30 ml Cognac (brandy); 30 ml Grand Marnier; 30 ml Dry vermouth; 1 dash Orange bitters

Ingredients

1 fl oz

Cognac (brandy)

1 fl oz

Grand Marnier or other cognac orange liqueur

1 fl oz

Strucchi Dry Vermouth

1 dash

Orange Bitters by Angostura (optional)

How to make

Glassware

Prepare

Select and pre-chill a COUPE GLASS.

Prepare garnish of lemon (or orange) zest twist.

Method

STIR all ingredients with ice.

FINE STRAIN into chilled glass.

Garnish

Express lemon (or orange) zest twist over cocktail and use as garnish.

Flavour Profile

No alcohol

Medium

Boozy

Sweet

Medium

Dry/sour

Health & Nutrition

Nutrition:

One serving of Burnt Fuselage contains 179 calories

Alcohol content:

1.7 standard drinks
25.71% alc./vol. (51.42° proof)
23.3 grams of pure alcohol

Allergens:

Recipe contains the following allergens:

Dry vermouth — Sulphur Dioxide/Sulphites

History

The Burnt Fuselage first appears in the "Cocktails Around Town" section of Harry MacElhone's 1927 Barflies and Cocktails where he lists cocktails of regulars ("Men About Town") at his Harry's New York Bar.

To quote MacElhone, "Chuck Kerwood takes to the air so frequently that he likes a stiff steadier when he comes down to earth. The famous flying man calls his concoction the 'Burnt Fuselage'. And believe me, 1/3 Grand Marnier, 1/3 Cognac, and 1/3 French vermouth, and your own fuselage will be warm, to say the least." From Philadelphia, USA Colonel C.W. (Chuck) Kerwood, was President of the International League of Aviators and was apparently known as the "wild man of aviation."

Comments & Discussion

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Kristina Premium Member 27w

Was too sweet for me. With 45ml of Cognac is perfect.

Ryan Madden Premium Member 24w

Great suggestion! Really liked the additional half oz.

Calvin Grant Premium Member 44w

Tasty and orangy, sufficiently boozy, I feel steadier already. The dry vermouth really makes this work. Slow sips, so much flavor. Dolin dry, Dry Curaçao, Darvelle Freres V.S.O.P., Regans, Orange Bitters.♡

Calvin Grant Premium Member 44w

Oh, and I went with the lemon zest.

John CARR Premium Member 2y

Burnt fuselage indeed. The orange colour and flavour come with a warmth and intensity that by some sensory magic conjures the title. I happened to use a blood orange twist which unintentionally but very happily amplified the effect!

John CARR Premium Member 2y

I’d be tempted to add a dash of bitter truth orange bitters. Has the rawness and unapologetic flavour intensity of proper vintage cocktails. 🧡

Simon Difford Verified User Premium Member 1y

Good call. I've added orange bitters to our recipe.

John CARR Premium Member 1y

Repeating and again felt the urge to reach for the orange bitters bottle (even without checking previous notes) to add a little aroma and bite.

Calvin Grant Premium Member 44w

Hey, great call with the bitters.

John CARR Continue thread (1 reply)

Annabelle Egginton 3y

This is a sophisticated warm drink to sip before or after dinner. If after dinner pais well with some petits fours such as financiers and palmiers.

denner ross 3y

used 3/4 oz GM, and 1.5 oz cognac with 1 oz Noilly Dry...less sweet and more spirit forward.

Joseph Murray 3y

This simple drink now added to my short list of favorites! Ingredients combine to produce a spiked honey flavor

Beth Schneider 3y

A super sipper (pun intended)! Not too sweet as John notes.

Scott from Fife Premium Member 3y

Agree. A perfectly well balanced pre dinner blend of flavours. The perfect mid week smooth snifter !

Nathalie O Flynn Premium Member 4y

Just realised I had noted this one to make some while back and forgot till I visited the 20 best cognac cocktails list yesterday. Being an easy cocktail to make and having started to show my husband how to make some too, I thought this was a good one to give him to make and it was great, bless.