Warm up your winter evenings with a Brandy Sangaree

Garnished with a cinnamon stick, orange slices and maybe a star anise or two, this cocktail looks as good as it tastes.

July 11, 2025

Vanessa Papas 1 minute read

Warm up your winter evenings with a Brandy Sangaree — A Brandy Sangaree is the kind of drink that takes the edge off winter.

Brandy Sangaree is a classic cocktail with roots that go back centuries, yet it feels tailor-made for modern cold nights. It’s smooth, warming and layered with flavour, making it the ideal fireside companion. Unlike its summer cousin, the Sangria, the Brandy Sangaree is a deeper, cosier affair. It combines the comforting kick of brandy with the gentle sweetness of fortified wine and the spice of a mulled drink, all rounded off with citrus and a hint of winter warmth. Think of it as a mulled wine’s grown-up, slightly more refined relative.

Ingredients

50ml brandy (Oude Meester Demant works well with this recipe)
25ml ruby port or sweet red vermouth
10ml simple syrup (or a small teaspoon of brown sugar)
Dash of Angostura bitters
Ice cubes
Orange slice
Cinnamon stick
Star anise (optional)

Method

Fill a short glass with ice.
Pour in the brandy, port and simple syrup.
Add a dash of bitters and stir gently.
Garnish with an orange slice, a cinnamon stick and a star anise if using.
Sip slowly and enjoy the warmth.

July 11, 2025

Vanessa Papas 1 minute read

GET IT MAGAZINE

I'm an experienced writer, sub-editor, and media & public relations specialist with a demonstrated history of working in the media industry – across digital, print, TV, and radio. I earned a diploma in Journalism and Print Media from leading institution, Damelin College, with distinctions (Journalism And Print Media, Media Studies, Technical English And Communications, South African Studies, African & International Studies, Technology in Journalism, Journalism II & Practical Journalism). I also hold a qualification in Investigative Journalism from Print Media SA, First Aid Training from St John’s Ambulance, as well as certificates in Learning to Write Marketing Copy, Planning a Career in User Experience, and Writing a Compelling Blog Post.