Data ranking
How Many Calories in a Brandy Cocktail? Ranked by WhatDrink Data
Alcohol contributes roughly 7 kcal per gram, which means calorie count in cocktails tracks closely with ABV and pour size — often more than with added sugar or syrup. A lower-calorie cocktail is usually a lower-ABV or smaller-serve cocktail. We reviewed 119 nutrition-complete cocktail recipes and found 25 that fit this guide. Median for this set: 155 kcal.
119Recipes reviewed
25Matching this guide
155 kcalMedian calories
7.1gMedian sugar
20.8%Median ABV
Ranked recipes
| # | Drink | Why it ranks | Calories | Nutrition | Alcohol | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jack-in-the-Box Cocktail | 87.0kcal | 87 kcal | 3.0g sugar · 3.8g carbs | 20.4% ABV · 0.69 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 2 | Jack-In-The-Box | 89.0kcal | 89 kcal | 3.0g sugar · 3.8g carbs | 19.7% ABV · 0.67 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 3 | Bull's Eye | 101.0kcal | 101 kcal | 2.4g sugar · 3.6g carbs | 17.0% ABV · 0.85 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 4 | Apple Rum Rickey | 111.0kcal | 111 kcal | 0.4g sugar · 2.3g carbs | 27.9% ABV · 1.05 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 5 | A. J. | 118.0kcal | 118 kcal | 2.1g sugar · 2.7g carbs | 24.0% ABV · 1.00 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 6 | Port Wine Cocktail | 124.0kcal | 124 kcal | 7.4g sugar · 10.4g carbs | 21.1% ABV · 0.91 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 7 | Jack Rose Cocktail | 123.0kcal | 123 kcal | 3.3g sugar · 4.7g carbs | 27.6% ABV · 1.00 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 8 | English Highball | 140.0kcal | 140 kcal | 2.2g sugar · 3.1g carbs | 17.6% ABV · 1.25 std | Any occasion |
| 9 | Quaker's Cocktail | 136.0kcal | 136 kcal | 7.1g sugar · 8.1g carbs | 30.1% ABV · 1.05 std | Any occasion |
| 10 | Stone Sour | 140.0kcal | 140 kcal | 19.6g sugar · 23.8g carbs | 8.3% ABV · 0.42 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 11 | Brandy and Soda | 143.0kcal | 143 kcal | 0.0g sugar · 0.0g carbs | 19.9% ABV · 1.33 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 12 | Valencia Cocktail | 149.0kcal | 149 kcal | 14.6g sugar · 19.3g carbs | 18.2% ABV · 0.63 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 13 | Hennessy Martini | 155.0kcal | 155 kcal | 1.5g sugar · 4.1g carbs | 20.0% ABV · 1.33 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 14 | The Crux | 156.0kcal | 156 kcal | 7.9g sugar · 10.9g carbs | 20.6% ABV · 1.03 std | Any occasion |
| 15 | Stinger | 155.0kcal | 155 kcal | 5.2g sugar · 6.7g carbs | 35.6% ABV · 1.19 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 16 | Kiss the Boys Goodbye | 159.0kcal | 159 kcal | 7.8g sugar · 11.3g carbs | 10.8% ABV · 0.81 std | Any occasion |
| 17 | Thunderclap Cocktail | 160.0kcal | 160 kcal | 0.0g sugar · 0.0g carbs | 42.9% ABV · 1.61 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 18 | Victor | 161.0kcal | 161 kcal | 1.5g sugar · 2.1g carbs | 37.6% ABV · 1.56 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 19 | Applecar | 166.0kcal | 166 kcal | 8.1g sugar · 10.9g carbs | 22.5% ABV · 1.13 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 20 | Weep-No-More Cocktail | 166.0kcal | 166 kcal | 8.3g sugar · 15.4g carbs | 14.6% ABV · 1.04 std | Any occasion |
| 21 | Outrigger | 172.0kcal | 172 kcal | 11.8g sugar · 15.6g carbs | 20.8% ABV · 1.04 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 22 | Rose | 177.0kcal | 177 kcal | 16.6g sugar · 18.5g carbs | 23.4% ABV · 1.08 std | Any occasion |
| 23 | Cognac Highball | 178.0kcal | 178 kcal | 9.0g sugar · 9.0g carbs | 19.9% ABV · 1.33 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 24 | French Connection | 180.0kcal | 180 kcal | 7.8g sugar · 8.9g carbs | 34.7% ABV · 1.30 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 25 | Baltimore Bracer | 184.0kcal | 184 kcal | 10.6g sugar · 13.5g carbs | 22.5% ABV · 1.13 std | Quick, easy serve |
All nutrition values are estimates based on standard recipe quantities. — = data not available.
Best picks by use case
Watch-out factors for calories
- High-ABV spirits in large pours — alcohol is 7 kcal/g, more calorie-dense than sugar
- Cream and full-fat dairy — adds significant calories per serve
- Liqueurs — sugar + alcohol together
- Double pours — a 60ml serve is twice the calories of a 30ml serve
- Tonic water — contains both sugar and flavour; not as neutral as soda water
Methodology
Is this guide right for you?
Good fit if:
- You want to compare estimated calorie counts across cocktail recipes
- You want alcohol context alongside calorie numbers
- You want a data-backed shortlist rather than a generic recipe list
Poor fit if:
- You assume lower calories automatically means lower alcohol — it does not
- You need medical, dietary, or clinical nutrition advice
- You need exact bar-specific values — these are recipe estimates
Frequently asked questions
- What does this ranking show?
- This page ranks brandy cocktails by estimated calorie count. All 25 drinks come from the WhatDrink database and pass the same recipe quality filters used on individual cocktail pages.
- What drives the calorie count in a brandy cocktail?
- Alcohol contributes 7 kcal per gram — the biggest single driver. After that, sugar-heavy mixers (liqueurs, syrups, fruit juice) add meaningful calories. A brandy cocktail at 15% ABV can have twice the calories of one at 8% ABV even with similar ingredients.
- Which brandy cocktail in this list has the fewest calories?
- Based on WhatDrink recipe data, Jack-in-the-Box Cocktail ranks lowest in estimated calories in this list. Actual values vary by pour size and preparation.
- Does lower calories always mean a healthier drink?
- Not necessarily. Alcohol contributes roughly 7 kcal per gram. A drink with low carbs but high ABV can still be high in overall calories. Always check multiple metrics together rather than focusing on one alone.
- How should I use this page to choose a drink?
- The table lets you compare brandy cocktails side by side on calories estimates. Click through to any individual cocktail page for the full ingredient list and nutrition breakdown. The "Top picks" panel highlights the best performers across multiple criteria.
- How many brandy cocktails are on this page?
- This ranking includes 25 brandy cocktails that pass WhatDrink's recipe quality and data completeness filters. The list updates as new recipes are added to the database.
- Why focus on brandy specifically?
- Brandy is the base spirit, which sets the alcohol foundation. The mixers and modifiers around it determine most of the sugar and calorie variation, making brandy cocktails a useful controlled comparison.