How to Make an Amazing French 75 with Still Spirits Classic Gin

April 11, 2025

Add Sparkle to Your Spirits: How to Craft a Classic French 75 with Home-Made Gin

There's something wonderfully satisfying about mixing up a cocktail with your own gin creation. It’s that DIY pride—like building a raised garden bed or finally fixing the squeaky fence gate. But this time, it’s not about dirt under your nails… it’s about a glass in your hand and a drink so smooth you'd swear it came from a high-end rooftop bar. And let me tell you, nothing shows off your gin-making skills quite like the elegant, bubbly French 75.

This cocktail is crisp, citrusy, effervescent, and just fancy enough to impress—but simple enough for a casual Sunday afternoon. Whether you're hosting mates or winding down after wrangling the kids into bed, the French 75 is the kind of classic that never gets old.

First Things First: Your Star Ingredient

Before we get shaking, you’ll need a quality homemade gin with solid botanical character. And here’s where Top Shelf Select Classic Gin comes in for the win.

This flavouring creates a smooth London Dry-style gin with that unmistakable juniper kick. It’s bold without being overpowering, and balanced enough to let the other ingredients in your cocktail shine through—not fight for attention. With its twin-sachet packaging, you can make up to 2.25 litres of botanical brilliance by simply mixing it into a neutral spirit. No complicated gear. No waiting weeks. It’s mix-and-go…and off you go into the land of gin bliss.

Your French 75 Toolkit

You don’t need a bar full of odd-shaped tools. Just these basics and you're good to go:

Gin: Try about 45ml of your freshly flavoured Top Shelf Select Classic Gin
Lemon juice: 20ml, freshly squeezed gives it that punch
Simple syrup: 15ml (equal parts sugar and water—easy as)
Chilled sparkling wine: Ideally a dry prosecco or brut champagne (no need to break the bank)
Garnish: Lemon twist, if you’re feeling fancy
Ice
Cocktail shaker

Let’s Build That Beauty

Alright, we’ve got our ingredients. Let’s put them together into something special:

Fill your shaker with ice and pour in the gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup.
Give it a hearty shake. Not a lazy tilt and swirl—this isn’t garden tea, it’s cocktail hour!
Strain the mix into a chilled champagne flute. This drink is supposed to sparkle, so no cloudy bits, please.
Top it up with chilled sparkling wine. Just a gentle pour—let the fizz do the talking.
Add a lemon twist for a flourish. If you nailed everything else, this is your final round of applause.

And just like that, you’re sipping on a French 75 that tastes like it came straight out of a Paris cocktail bar—with gin you made yourself. It’s fresh, zesty, refined… and downright satisfying.

The Joy of Making it Your Own

One of the best parts about using Top Shelf Select Classic Gin is how customisable it is. Want to add lavender, cardamom, or some local herbs? Go wild. This base gin gives you room to experiment without losing the clean, dry core you expect from a classic style. You're not just following a recipe—you're crafting a flavour that’s all yours. And the sense of pride that comes with it is worth every drop.

Whether you're just getting into home brewing or already have a shelf full of your own creations, this is one of those moments where it all comes together. That low-key science-project feeling of measuring, mixing, and watching the transformation—you get the fun, you get the flavour, and you get a drink worth bragging about.

Make Your Spirits Matter

Why settle for store-bought cardboard cut-out flavours when you can craft something tailored to your own taste? There’s satisfaction in a perfect pour, especially when you know exactly what went into it. Whether it’s a weekend experiment or a go-to afternoon ritual, that French 75 is waiting for you.

If you've ever thought to yourself, “I reckon I could make something better at home,” now’s your moment. Thanks to the ease and reliability of Top Shelf Select Classic Gin, mastering a sophisticated cocktail is suddenly within Monday-night reach.

Go ahead. Mix up something memorable tonight—and know there’s not another glass quite like it anywhere else.

Cheers to great taste and even better stories,

—Candeece