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Gin

Classic/vintage · Hall of Fame and must know/try

4.2 29 ratings

Ingredients

2 oz Oude genever
1/3 oz Orange Curaçao
1/6 oz Sugar syrup 'rich' (2:1)
2 dash Boker's style bitters

How to make

Serve in a coupe glass

Prepare

  1. 1 Select and pre-chill a COUPE GLASS.
  2. 2 Prepare garnish of lemon zest twist.

Method

  1. 3 STIR all ingredients with ice.
  2. 4 FINE STRAIN into chilled glass.

Garnish

  1. 5 EXPRESS lemon zest twist over the cocktail and use as garnish.

Flavour profile

30.6% alc./vol. · 1.7 standard drinks · 146 calories

History

Bready genever with a hint of orange curaçao adding flavour and the merest touch of sweetness balancing Boker's Bitters. If Boker's is unavailable, Peychaud's Bitters can be used, producing a different but very tasty drink. Peychaud's produces a cocktail with an attractive pale shade of salmon pink.

This cocktail is closely related to the Martinez and, consequently, the Martini. It is adapted from one of the earliest known cocktail recipes, with some suggesting it dates back to 1824, the same year Dr Siegert invented Angostura Bitters. Nonetheless, the first documented recipe appears in Jerry Thomas' 1862 publication, "The Bartender's Guide." 111. Gin Cocktail (use small bar glass) 3 or 4 dashes gum syrup. 2 do. bitters (Bogart's). [it's widely accepted that he meant Boker's Bitters] 1 wine-glass of gin. 1 or 2 dashes of Curaçao. 1 small piece lemon peel; fill one-third full of fine ice shake well, and strain in a glass. 112. Fancy Gin Cocktail (use small bar glass) This drink is made the same as the gin cocktail, except that it is strained in a fancy wine-glass and a piece of lemon peel thrown on top, and the edge of the glass moistened with lemon. Disagreements exist regarding what distinguishes a "Fancy" or "Improved" Gin Cocktail from a standard "Gin Cocktail." Some sources indicate it is the type of glass used, while others point to the inclusion of lemon peel and/or orange curaçao. Curiously, some iterations of this recipe propose substituting absinthe for curaçao. Instead of substituting, adding a couple of dashes of absinthe alongside curaçao is recommended, or alternatively, rinsing the glass with absinthe before mixing the drink. A combination of gin, sugar, and bitters can produce a delightful cocktail without the addition of curaçao or absinthe; this is commonly known as a 'Gin Old Fashioned'.

Also known as Fancy Gin Cocktail, Improved Gin Cocktail · Created by Jerry 'The Professor' Thomas