Review:

This finely balanced, brandy-based classic zings with fresh zesty lemon and layers of complexity added by orange curaçao, maraschino liqueur and aromatic bitters. Balanced to be a smidgen on the sour side to allow for minimal additional sweetness introduced by a crusted rim.

History:

Created in the 1850s by Joseph Santini, an Italian from Trieste, in New Orleans, Louisiana, either at the City Exchange in the French Quarter, or at his Jewel of the South saloon on Gravier Street in the American Quarter, which he opened in 1855. The name refers to the thick crust of sugar around the rim.

Regarded by many as the forerunner to the Sidecar
and, by extension, the Margarita, crusted sugar rim and all. The Brandy Crusta is a veritable member of cocktail royalty, so much so that it proudly takes its place as the fourth drink to be illustrated in the world's first cocktail book, Jerry Thomas' 1862 Bar-Tender's Guide, where, under entry for the Dry Punch, Santini is wrongly credited as being of Spanish origins and spelt "Santina".

107. Brandy Cocktail.
(Use small bar glass.)
3 or 4 dashes of gum syrup.
2 do. Bitters (Bogart's).
1 wine-glass of brandy.
1 or 3 dashes of Curaçao.
Squeeze lemon peel; fill one-third full of ice, and stir with a spoon.

108. Fancy Brandy Cocktail.
(Use small bar glass.)
This drink is made the same as the brandy cocktail, except that it is strained in a fancy wine-glass, and a piece of lemon peel thrown on top, and the edge of the glass moistened with lemon.

116. Brandy Crusta.
(Use small bar glass.)
Crusta is made the same as a fancy cocktail, with a little lemon juice and a small lump of ice added. First, mix the ingredients in a small tumbler, then take a fancy red wine-glass, rub a sliced lemon around the rim of the same, and dip it in pulverized white sugar, so that the sugar will adhere to the edge of the glass. Pare half a lemon the same as you would an apple (all in one piece) so that the paring will fit in the wine-glass, as shown in the cut, and strain the crusta from the tumbler into it. Then smile.

Jerry Thomas, The Bart-enders' Guide, 1862

No. 23 Brandy Crusta
Glass No. 6
Take glass #6, sugar the sides by lightly rubbing the outer edges on a slice of lemon, dip the glass in powdered sugar to create a frosted appearance, cut a strip of lemon zest long enough to wrap around the inside of the glass, and place a cherry at the bottom.
Take a silver tumbler and fill it halfway with crushed ice:
3 dashes of Angostura bitters,
3 dashes of Maraschino liqueur,
3 dashes of Curaçao liqueur,
juice of a quarter of a lemon, and a shot glass of cognac.
Fit a second tumbler, shake it vigorously, pour it into the prepared glass, and serve.

American Bar - Recettes des Boissons Anglaises et Américaines, Frank P Newman, 1904 (translated from French)

See: Crusta cocktails & How to rim and garnish a Crusta.

Nutrition:

One serving of Brandy Crusta contains 180 calories