Fabiola Cocktail

By
Colleen Graham
Photo of Colleen Graham
Colleen Graham
Freelance writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.
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Updated on 04/1/21
Fabiola Cocktail

The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

Prep: 3 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 3 mins
Serving: 1 serving
Yield: 1 cocktail

A simple and delightful brandy cocktail, the Fabiola offers orange and vermouth accents for a flavorful experience. It makes a fabulous aperitif that you can enjoy before any dinner, no matter what's on the menu.

This recipe takes the metropolitan, to another level by adding Grand Marnier to the classic brandy-sweet vermouth cocktail. It also uses a more delicate sweet vermouth, Cinzano Bianco, which looks like dry vermouth but is definitely on the sweeter side. It's an excellent pairing for the brandy and Grand Marnier without adding more sweetness than is necessary. Many other sweet vermouths can create a cocktail that is almost too cloying.

Ingredients

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, pour the brandy, sweet vermouth, and orange liqueur.

  3. Shake well.

  4. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

  5. Serve and enjoy.

Tips

  • Chilling your glass will definitely make a better tasting cocktail. If you don't have room in the freezer to store cocktail glasses (they are space hogs), opt for a quick chill. Simply place a couple of ice cubes in the glass while you mix the drink, then discard them before straining.
  • Choose a mid-range to top-shelf brandy for the Fabiola. The quality should match that of Grand Marnier and Cinzano Bianco.
  • A simple orange twist makes a nice garnish that will dress up this drink. Before laying it on the rim, give the twist a gentle squeeze to express the peel's oils into the cocktail for a beautiful accent.

Recipe Variations

  • Try this cocktail with dry vermouth if you cannot find Cinzano Bianco. You'll find that the orange liqueur sweetens this variation delightfully well.
  • This is also an excellent option for other real fruit brandies. Standard brandy is made from grapes, though other fruits like apple, apricot, and cherry are available as well and will put a nice, fruity twist on the Fabiola. The trick to maintaining the drink's balance is to use an eau de vie, brandy that is not sweetened; many of the non-grape flavored brandies include sugar, technically making them liqueurs. Read the labels and choose wisely.
  • Grand Marnier has a brandy base, so it's a natural choice for this cocktail. A worthy substitute is the Italian Gran Gala. If you're going to substitute it with another orange liqueur, be sure to keep quality in mind.

How Strong Is a Fabiola Cocktail?

Like most liquor-only, martini-style drinks, the Fabiola is a potent little cocktail. When made with the recommended brands (keep in mind that Grand Marnier is the same strength as brandy, at 80 proof), it mixes up to 26 percent ABV (52 proof). That's one reason why it's barely a three-ounce drink.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
149 Calories
0g Fat
8g Carbs
0g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 149
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 2mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 8g 3%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 7g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 2mg 0%
Iron 0mg 0%
Potassium 21mg 0%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)