The French 75 is a powerful cocktail made from gin, Champagne, lemon juice, and sugar. It was created during World War I and named after the French 75mm field gun, which was the mainstay of the French artillery. The joke among soldiers was that the drink had such a 'kick' that it felt like being hit by the famous gun. The cocktail was popularized in the United States at the Stork Club in New York and famously appeared in the movie *Casablanca*. While some early versions used cognac instead of gin, the gin-based version became the international standard. It is unique among Champagne cocktails because of its high alcohol content, combining a full measure of spirit with the effervescence of sparkling wine, which speeds up the absorption of alcohol into the bloodstream.