Data ranking
Low Sugar Brandy Cocktails — Ranked by Data
Brandy is one of the more flexible spirits for lower-sugar mixing because it works well with soda water, lime juice, dry vermouth, and bitters — none of which add much sugar. The main source of sugar in brandy cocktails is not the spirit itself; it is the sweetener. We found 25 recipes with complete nutrition data. The median sugar across this set is 2.4g.
119Recipes reviewed
25Matching this guide
2.4gMedian sugar
183 kcalMedian calories
24.0%Median ABV
Ranked recipes
| # | Drink | Why it ranks | Sugar | Nutrition | Alcohol | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brandy and Soda | 0.0g sugar | 0.0g | 143 kcal · 0.0g carbs | 19.9% ABV · 1.33 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 2 | Hennessy Martini | 1.5g sugar | 1.5g | 155 kcal · 4.1g carbs | 20.0% ABV · 1.33 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 3 | Brunswick Street Cocktail | 1.5g sugar | 1.5g | 380 kcal · 6.5g carbs | 20.6% ABV · 1.95 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 4 | A. J. | 2.1g sugar | 2.1g | 118 kcal · 2.7g carbs | 24.0% ABV · 1.00 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 5 | English Highball | 2.2g sugar | 2.2g | 140 kcal · 3.1g carbs | 17.6% ABV · 1.25 std | Any occasion |
| 6 | Bull's Eye | 2.4g sugar | 2.4g | 101 kcal · 3.6g carbs | 17.0% ABV · 0.85 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 7 | Jack-in-the-Box Cocktail | 3.0g sugar | 3.0g | 87 kcal · 3.8g carbs | 20.4% ABV · 0.69 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 8 | Jack-In-The-Box | 3.0g sugar | 3.0g | 89 kcal · 3.8g carbs | 19.7% ABV · 0.67 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 9 | Thunderclap Cocktail | 0.0g sugar | 0.0g | 160 kcal · 0.0g carbs | 42.9% ABV · 1.61 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 10 | Barton Special | 0.0g sugar | 0.0g | 248 kcal · 0.0g carbs | 41.9% ABV · 2.44 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 11 | Apple Rum Rickey | 0.4g sugar | 0.4g | 111 kcal · 2.3g carbs | 27.9% ABV · 1.05 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 12 | Brantini | 1.2g sugar | 1.2g | 245 kcal · 1.8g carbs | 35.1% ABV · 2.34 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 13 | Victor | 1.5g sugar | 1.5g | 161 kcal · 2.1g carbs | 37.6% ABV · 1.56 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 14 | Gotham | 1.5g sugar | 1.5g | 320 kcal · 1.5g carbs | 40.3% ABV · 2.00 std | Any occasion |
| 15 | Bolero Cocktail | 2.2g sugar | 2.2g | 225 kcal · 3.1g carbs | 37.1% ABV · 2.16 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 16 | Bentley | 2.4g sugar | 2.4g | 183 kcal · 3.6g carbs | 31.6% ABV · 1.58 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 17 | Jersey Lightning Cocktail | 6.4g sugar | 6.4g | 244 kcal · 10.8g carbs | 22.6% ABV · 1.88 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 18 | Boston Side Car | 6.6g sugar | 6.6g | 186 kcal · 11.6g carbs | 19.6% ABV · 1.05 std | Any occasion |
| 19 | Boston Sidecar Cocktail | 6.6g sugar | 6.6g | 186 kcal · 11.6g carbs | 19.6% ABV · 1.39 std | Any occasion |
| 20 | Porto flip | 6.8g sugar | 6.8g | 210 kcal · 10.0g carbs | 21.8% ABV · 1.29 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 21 | Corpse Reviver No. 1 | 3.0g sugar | 3.0g | 332 kcal · 4.2g carbs | 35.3% ABV · 2.28 std | Any occasion |
| 22 | French Quarter | 7.1g sugar | 7.1g | 284 kcal · 9.5g carbs | 24.7% ABV · 2.47 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 23 | Jack Rose Cocktail | 3.3g sugar | 3.3g | 123 kcal · 4.7g carbs | 27.6% ABV · 1.00 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 24 | Port Wine Cocktail | 7.4g sugar | 7.4g | 124 kcal · 10.4g carbs | 21.1% ABV · 0.91 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 25 | Harvest Moon | 3.6g sugar | 3.6g | 247 kcal · 5.0g carbs | 36.4% ABV · 2.31 std | Any occasion |
All nutrition values are estimates based on standard recipe quantities. — = data not available.
Best picks by use case
Watch-out ingredients for sugar
- Fruit juice (especially pineapple, mango, and passion fruit) — can add 10–15g sugar per 60ml serve
- Flavoured liqueurs — most contain 10–20g sugar per 30ml, even ones that do not taste obviously sweet
- Cordials and sweetened syrups — often 20–30g sugar per 30ml
- Grenadine — very high in sugar, used in small amounts but counts
- Fruit purées — natural sugar but still contributes meaningfully
Methodology
Is this guide right for you?
Good fit if:
- You want to compare estimated sugar across cocktail recipes
- You want to see ABV and standard drinks alongside sugar numbers
- You want a data-backed shortlist rather than a generic recipe list
Poor fit if:
- You assume very low sugar means low alcohol — some dry cocktails are still high-ABV
- You need medical or dietary 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 sugar content. All 25 drinks come from the WhatDrink database and pass the same recipe quality filters used on individual cocktail pages.
- What makes a brandy cocktail lower in sugar?
- The main driver of sugar in a cocktail is the sweetener — simple syrup, liqueur, juice, or flavoured spirit. Swapping syrup for bitters, soda water, or dry vermouth eliminates most added sugar. The base spirit itself contributes negligible sugar.
- Which brandy cocktail in this list has the least sugar?
- Based on WhatDrink recipe data, Brandy and Soda comes out lowest in estimated sugar in this ranking. Actual values depend on pour size, brand of mixer, and how the drink is prepared.
- Does lower sugar always mean a healthier drink?
- Not necessarily. Alcohol contributes roughly 7 kcal per gram. A drink with low sugar 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 sugar 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.