Category: Cocktails

The Bijou was among perhaps the first cocktails created.  Showing up around 1900, this cocktail was originally made by Harry Johnson.  The original drink was served with ice, but later evolved to be served up.  Like many pre-prohibition era cocktails, this drink owes it’s revival to Dale Degroff, who rediscovered and popularized it.

Bijou

Bijou

1 oz

Gin

1 oz

Green Chartreuse

1 oz

Sweet Vermouth

1-2 Dash

Orange Bitters

Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass. Add ice and stir. Double strain into a chilled coupe or Nick & Nora. Garnish with a lemon twist.

The Bijou is complex, herbal, slightly sweet, and layered in it’s complexity.  The herbs of the gin and Green Chartreuse really line up here, giving a big boost to one another with a slightly anise and juniper dominance.  There are layers of herbs though, and the caramelized note of the sweet vermouth come in with a nice touch of spice.  The bitters give a citrus lift, and the finish lingers with a nice amount of spice and herbs.   For all these reasons, this is one of my favorite prohibition era cocktails.

Drink Notes & Recommendations

Most of the variation in the Bijou is derived from the choice of gin and vermouth.  Our recommendations are as follows:

• Gin – There’s a lot of spice and sweet going on here thanks to the large quantity of Green Chartreuse.  For those reason, we recommend making this one with a London Dry to emphasize those herbal elements and help balance things out.  We used Tanqueray here (which was fantastic), but any London Dry should do (such as our standard Beefeater or another like Bombay Sapphire)
• Green Chartreuse  –  There really isn’t a substitute for this classic several hundred year old liqueur, so you’ll need to procure a bottle.  Be prepared to pay upwards of $50 a bottle for a 750 ml, but be aware most cocktails call for less than an ounce.
• Sweet Vermouth – We utilized the more vanilla forward Carpano Antica here  (which is our go to) and the strong flavors at work here can tolerate it.  Feel free to use your favorite here if you don’t have Carpano..
• Orange Bitters –  For complexity, I really like complex spice and orange notes Regan’s Orange Bitters* here, but both Angostura Orange* and Fee Brothers* should work fine.

* – This link is an affiliate link which may result in us getting a partial commission from the sale.  In 2022 we made $13.34 from affiliate links and made $1.36 so far in 2023, while we’ve spent well over $200 on just webhosting.  Help us keep the lights on if you like our content, and please use our links!

The Corpse Reviver #2 bursts onto the scene in 1930 with The Savoy Cocktail Book.  The naming convention here implies that there is a Corpse Reviver #1.  While this is true, it based practically no connection to the delicious 4 part cocktail mentioned below.  In fact, it’s a hangover remedy (and one that sounds fairly awful at that).  Instead, this beautiful drink uses a similar formula to a Last Word or split base Sidecar, and is refreshing enough to revive most individuals.  Assuming you don’t enjoy too many!

Corpse Reviver #2

Corpse Reviver #2

¾ oz

London Dry Gin

¾ oz

Cointreau

¾ oz

Lillet Blanc

¾ oz

Lemon Juice

2 Dashes

Absinthe

Rinse a chilled absinthe, and pour out the extra. Combine all other ingredients in a shaking tin vessel. Add ice and shake. Double strain into the chilled coupe. No Garnish.

The Corpse Reviver #2 is a beautiful, aromatic, herbal, and bright cocktail that’s wonderfully rounded.  I’m careful not to say balanced, as this cocktail is decidedly dry despite the amount of sweetness from both the Cointreau and the Lillet.  The wonderful bitter undertones bounce perfectly off the bright lemon and sweet liqueurs.  The citrus and herbal notes run across the flavor spectrum, and make each sip enjoyable and complex.  The result is dry, yet rich in texture.

Drink Notes & Recommendations

There are two main sources of difference in the Corpse Reviver #2, the ingredient chosen for the Kina Lillet substitution and the approach to the absinthe.  The absinthe is the easier of the two, so we’ll start there.  The original methodology here is going to be to rinse the chilled coupe with absinthe.  This is going to work better for aromatic purposes.  If you’re lazy, add the absinthe directly to the ingredients you shake.

The second source of variation, the Kina Lillet is the more discussed issue.  Lillet Blanc is the commonly accepted ingredient here, though it will lack the bittering quinine of the original Kina Lillet.  To keep that bitter undertone, I would recommend instead looking at Cocchi Americano, which has a similar flavor profile, but include more of the bittering quinine.  The resulting drink is slightly less ethereal, but seems like it would be potentially truer to the original.

• London Dry Gin – Gin is the backbone here, and it provides herbal notes and structure.  London Dry is therefore our recommendation (Beefeater, Tanqueray, Bombay Sapphire), but thanks to the complexity of the partnering ingredients, you can move this drink toward spice or citrus with modern gins (Aviation / Bluecoat) or even add malty sweetness with Old Tom Gin.
• Cointreau – while you could use another orange liqueur, Cointreau is the gold standard here (which is why we call it out by name).  Consider another brand of curacao or triple sec if you can’t find triple sec.
• Lillet Blanc  – Either Lillet Blanc or Aperitivo Cocchi Americano for this one.  Our recommendation is Aperitivo Cocchi Americano to add the original bitterness and texture.
• Lemon Juice –  For best results, use fresh squeezed.
• Absinthe –We used St. George Absinthe Verte, but absinthe can be limited by location.  If you can’t find an absinthe, consider a pastis, like Pernod.

* – This link is an affiliate link which may result in us getting a partial commission from the sale.  In 2022 we made $13.34 from affiliate links and made $1.36 so far in 2023, while we’ve spent well over $200 on just webhosting.  Help us keep the lights on if you like our content, and please use our links!

The Vieux Carre is New Orleans in a glass.  It represents an amazing fusion of cultural elements that were impact America in the 1930’s.  Sweet Vermouth from Italy meet Rye from America with a French influence of cognac and Benedictine.  Adding in the bitters from Angostura (the Caribbean) with Peychaud’s bitters (the Caribbean / New Orleans), and you end up with an amazing cocktail that builds to more than the sum of it’s parts.

Vieux Carre

Vieux Carre

1 oz

Rye

1 oz

Cognac

1 oz

Sweet Vermouth

¼ oz

Benedictine

1 Dash

Angostura Bitters

1 Dashes

Peychaud Bitters

Combine all ingredients in a mixing vessel. Add ice and stir. Double strain into a double rocks glass with a large cube. Garnish with a lemon twist.

The Vieux Carre is one of those deep, layered, broody sorts of classic cocktails.  There’s a subtle sweetness here, but the primary notes are herbal touches over spice with lots of complex caramel and preserved fruit elements.   There’s an almost honey like richness that texturally runs through.  There are hints of unique elements from both the rye and cognac that keep you coming back for another sip.

Drink Notes & Recommendations

The Vieux Carre has a lot going on, and really revels in the interaction of it’s elements.  From that stand point, mixing good quality ingredients will help to build various flavor profiles that can make the Vieux Carre exciting to try using different spirits and modifiers.

• Rye – While this can work either way, we went with the more caramel and spice side of rye, using Rittenhouse.  Thanks to the sweetness of the Cognac and the sweet vermouth this could work with a more herbal earthy rye as well like Wild Turkey 101 or George Dickel Rye.
• Cognac – We recommend using H by Hine or  Pierre Ferrand 1840 or Ambre for cocktails as they add a significant amount of cognac flavor depth without breaking the bank.  If you don’t want to pay for cognac, feel free to substitute a brandy, such as Lustau Brandy de Jerez Solera Reserva .
• Sweet Vermouth – We utilized the more vanilla forward Carpano Antica here  (which is our go to), but you can modify some of the flavors present by using a more caramel forward Cocchi or a fruit forward vermouth like Lustau.
• Benedictine – Due to the herbal notes and honeyed sweetness that go into this brandy based liqueur, we don’t recommend swapping this for anything else.  Similar to certain other classics, this is both a specific liqueur and a brand recommendation.
• Angostura Bitters – These are the classic bitters for most cocktails, and we recommend you keep a bottle on hand.  You can find them at Amazon (although most of the time you should be able to find them locally cheaper)
• Peychaud Bitters – These are the standard for any Sazerac.  You can purchase them at most well appointed liquor stores or through Amazon*.

* – This link is an affiliate link which may result in us getting a partial commission from the sale.  In 2022 we made $13.34 from affiliate links and made $1.36 so far in 2023, while we’ve spent well over $200 on just webhosting.  Help us keep the lights on if you like our content, and please use our links!

Quinine, the compound that gives tonic water its distinct taste, has been used as an antimalarial since the 19th century.  To improve the palatability, it was mixed with various things including tonic water, fortified wine, or gin.  This trend eventually gave way to commercial tonic water being mixed with gin toward the 1940’s.  This two ingredient drink maybe simple, but the flavor profile has stood the test of time.

Gin & Tonic

Gin & Tonic

2 oz

Gin

4 oz

Tonic Water

Build in a highball or collins. Add a few ice cubes and add gin. Stir a few times to chill. Add tonic water. Stir once. Add ice to fill, and garnish with a lime wedge.

The Gin & Tonic is refreshing, sweet and bitter, and bright. The tonic’s quinine is the distinctive element here, and pairs wonderfully with the herbs and spices of the gin. The carbonation gives it a nice pop of levity, and the subtle sweetness of the tonic keeps things in balance.

Drink Notes & Recommendations

The Gin & Tonic is a simple cocktail, so the use of ingredients that are quality and that you enjoy are tantamount to success.  From a drink construction standpoint, the only thing to keep in mind is that you should not stir this drink excessively.  Doing so will remove the carbonation.

• Gin – While London dry gin is traditional here, any gin will do.  Use contemporary gins for more unique spices or citrus (Aviation, Bluecoat), or keep it traditional with London Dry (Beefeater, Tanqueray, Bombay Sapphire).
• Tonic – While most main stream brands (Canada Dry, Polar, your local grocery store, etc) will show a very classic quinine profile, more modern tonic waters off unique twists and provide new, exciting flavors.

While the exact date of creation of the Hotel Nacional Special is subject to debate, the drink is created to Will P. Taylor, who created the drink at the Nacional bar in Cuba.  He’s notable for also being the last manager of the Old Waldorf Astoria’s before prohibition.  Among the credits that The Gentlemen’s Companion give him credit for are the Tropical Daiquiri and the Santiago de Cuba Mint Julep, both of which probably require a bit more explanation, but sound delicious.  So how does this very close relative of the Daiquiri taste?

Hotel Nacional Special

Hotel Nacional Special

2 oz

Aged Rum

1 oz

Pineapple Juice

½ oz

Lime Juice

½ oz

Simple Syrup

¼ oz

Apricot Liqueur

Combine all ingredients in a shaking tin vessel. Add ice and shake. Double strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with a lime wheel.

The Hotel Nacional Special does this amazing apricot – pineapple daiquiri riff that celebrates the brightness of the fruit while giving the rum the room to the do the heavy background notes.  The result is a drink that balances caramelized grilled fruit notes with hints of ester and molasses with bright fresh fruit flavors.  The subtle preserved apricot note adds a great background note here that gives just enough mystique that you want to keep sipping it.  Overall, this one feels like it can span the seasons while being refreshing.

Drink Notes & Recommendations

Depending on who you attribute the original publication of this drink to, you get some fairly considerable variation.  In Bar La Florida Cocktails, the recipe doesn’t actually contain simple or lime.  In other recipes, the second volume of the Gentleman’s Companion, the lime is included, but the simple is omitted.  While we recommend you try omitting the simple if you find it sweet, we think the use of both lime and simple offer the most well rounded interpretation of the Hotel Nacional Special.

• Rum – The original recipe in the Gentleman’s Companion calls out pre-prohibition Carta de Oro Bacardi, which is an aged rum.  We recommend not using Bacardi Gold, but instead using something aged like Bacardi 8 or Doorly’s X.O.
• Apricot Liqueur –  We used Giffard’s Abricot du Roussillon here and highly recommend it.  If you can’t find it, Marie Brizzard’s Apry might be a good substitute (but turn down the simple)
• Pineapple Juice – Our default standard is Dole’s small cans.  They’re cheaper so you can use them without throwing out a lot of pineapple juice.  Amazon will sell you this enormous quantity*, but you can likely find them cheaper in your local grocery.
• Lime Juice –  For best results, use fresh squeezed.
• Simple Syrup – We used a traditional 1:1 water to sugar simple.

* – This link is an affiliate link which may result in us getting a partial commission from the sale.  In 2022 we made $13.34 from affiliate links and made $1.36 so far in 2023, while we’ve spent well over $200 on just webhosting.  Help us keep the lights on if you like our content, and please use our links!

In Jerry Thomas’ 1887 The Bar-Tender’s Guide (or How to Mix Drinks) he details an improvement to his originally published Whiskey Cocktail (published in 1862 and 1876).  The cocktail takes a very reminiscent old fashion and tweaks it with Maraschino, more bitters, and absinthe.  The results are more impressive than you might think, and create the aptly named, Improved Whiskey Cocktail.

The original recipe reads as follows:

Prepared in the same manner as the Improved Brandy Cocktail, by substituting Bourbon or rye whiskey for the brandy

The Improved Brandy Cocktail reads as follows:

Take 2 dashes Boker’s (or Angostura) Bitters.
3 dashes gum syrup.
2 dashes Maraschino.
1 dash Absinthe.
1 small piece of the yellow rind of a lemon, twisted to express the oil.
1 small wine-glass of brandy

Fill glass one-third full of shaved ice, shake well, and strain into a fancy cocktail glass, put the lemon peel in the glass and serve.

While this might be great for the 19th century, we can improve this recipe, and make it a little more readable.

Improved Whiskey Cocktail

Improved Whiskey Cocktail

2 oz

Rye

¼ oz

Maraschino Liqueur

¼ oz

Simple Syrup

1 Dash Each

Angostura and Bokers Bitters

1 Dash

Absinthe

Rinse a rocks glass with Absinthe. Combine all ingredients in a mixing vessel. Add ice and stir. Double strain into the absinthe rinsed glass with a fresh large cube. Garnish with a lemon twist.

The Improved Whiskey Cocktail is sweet, spicy, and herbal in all the right ways.  The rye provides a beautiful herbal and spicy base to layer the cherry-almond spice maraschino on.   The combination of bokers and angostura bitters I used really gives a boost to the cardamom and clove notes that run throughout.  The citrus of the lemon perks the whole thing up.  Overall, it’s a delicious and balanced rendition of an old fashioned.

Drink Notes & Recommendations

The very original version of this cocktail calls for it to be shaken, but we really know better at this point.  For best results, stir.  The absinthe rinse is also a very modern twist on the Improved Whiskey Cocktail, but not a necessary one.  Feel free to stir the absinthe in if you’re feeling lazy.   Finally, if you don’t have Boker’s bitters, use all Angostura (or vice versa).

• Rye – As the largest ingredient here, you’ll want to make a choice between sweet bourbon influences and earthy rye.  The Maraschino will work well with either, but the sweetness will either compound (Rittenhouse, Elijah Craig) or balance (Wild Turkey 101).
• Maraschino Liqueur – Not to be confused with the liquid that maraschino cherries are packed in.  This syrup would result in a rich and strand drink.  Instead we recommend using the class Luxardo Maraschino liqueur (which comes in the straw packaging).
• Simple Syrup –  A traditional 1:1 water to sugar simple is most often used here.
• Angostura Bitters – These are the classic bitters for most cocktails, and we recommend you keep a bottle on hand.
• Boker’s Bitters – There are few manufacturers of these bitters, and for a period of time, they stopped existing.  The most oft recommended brand, and one we use is Dr. Adam Elmegirab’s Boker’s Bitters*.  Be aware they’re slightly pricey, but you’re going to be using a small portion of these most of the time.

* – This link is an affiliate link which may result in us getting a partial commission from the sale.  In 2022 we made $13.34 from affiliate links in 2022, while we’ve spent well over $200 on just webhosting.  Help us keep the lights on if you like our content, and please use our links!

Found in Boothby’s World Drinks in 1934, the Frisco hails from just after prohibition and is named after the established cocktail community.  The resulting drink is a simple, strong, and elegant.  A simple two part drink, this one is easy to make, and only requires Rye and Benedictine to make.

Frisco

Frisco

1 ½ oz

Rye

½ oz

Benedictine

Place a large ice cube in a rocks glass. Combine all ingredients and stir. Garnish with a lemon twist.

The Frisco is boozy yet almost balanced.   The combination of herbal and spicy rye as a base is built upon by the similarly spicy and herbal Benedictine.  The combination elevates the spices and herbal notes with just a bit of citrus and sweet.  The result is something akin to an old fashioned that’s very focused on spice and herb notes

Drink Notes & Recommendations

The Frisco is very simple to make, the biggest variation I’ve seen is in the ratio of Benedictine and rye.  The most common adjustment is to reduce the sweetness by adjusting the ratio to 4 parts rye to 1 part Benedictine.

• Rye – As one of only two ingredients, and the biggest contributor, the rye you choose is critical.  We recommend a rye that has a distinct personality, like George Dickel Rye, Rittenhouse, or Wild Turkey 101 Rye. Avoid anything that’s semi-milquetoast in its presentation, like Elijah Craig Rye.
• Benedictine – Due to the herbal notes and honeyed sweetness that go into this brandy based liqueur, we don’t recommend swapping this for anything else.  Similar to certain other classics, this is both a specific liqueur and a brand recommendation.

Down the line the Frisco evolves, bringing in citrus.  As a result, you rarely see this original variation anymore as many eschew it for the addition of a half ounce each of lemon and lime juice (using the 4:1 ratio).

We’re now less than a month from Mardi Gras, and you might be starting to think about ending dry January.  If you’d like to switch up your Sazerac this year, why not consider a De La Louisiane?  Originally from Famous New Orleans Drinks, this Manhattan cousin adds some flair with the addition of absinthe and Benedictine to thinks to the next level.

De La Louisiane

De La Louisiane

2 oz

Rye

¾ oz

Sweet Vermouth

½ oz

Benedictine

3 Dashes

Absinthe

3 Dashes

Peychaud’s Bitters

Combine all ingredients in a mixing vessel. Add ice and stir. Double strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with 3 brandied cherries.

The De La Louisiane is a wonderful creole inspired Manhattan that bursts with herbal complexity.  The spice and herbal notes of the rye shine through, while the sweetness of the vermouth and the Benedictine give a canvas with which the absinthe and bitters can weave their complex magic over.  The result is silky, smooth, spicy, and delightfully complexly herbal cocktail that’s ever so slightly sweet.  Fans of Manhattans and those that like Sazeracs should consider this a must try.

Drink Notes & Recommendations

The primary variation for the De La Louisiane is the amount of Benedictine used.  The range goes from ¼ to ¾ oz.  We chose a half here to moderate sweetness, but you can adjust as needed.  As for dashes, we typically estimate a healthy dash is around .02 – .04 oz.  We aim to be between .08 and .12 oz for 3 dashes.

• Rye – We went full on into the earthy / herbal side of rye with Wild Turkey 101 Rye here.  Feel free to experiment to make a sweet combination, with ryes that are less spice and herb focused (Rittenhouse / Sazerac), but remember you might need to adjust your Benedictine for sweetness in this scenario.
• Sweet Vermouth – We utilized the more vanilla forward Carpano Antica here  (which is our go to) and the strong flavors at work here can tolerate it.  Feel free to use your favorite here if you don’t have Carpano.
• Benedictine – Due to the herbal notes and honeyed sweetness that go into this brandy based liqueur, we don’t recommend swapping this for anything else.  Similar to certain other classics, this is both a specific liqueur and a brand recommendation.
• Absinthe – We used St. George Absinthe Verte, but absinthe can be limited by location.  If you can’t find an absinthe, consider a pastis, like Pernod.
• Peychaud’s Bitters – These are the standard for any Sazerac.  You can purchase them at most well appointed liquor stores or through Amazon*.

* – Amazon links contain affiliate links that may result in First Pour Cocktails receiving a portion of the sale.  Last year we made $13, against over $250 in webhosting costs.  Please consider clicking through and purchasing as these commissions help us keep researching new drinks and pay for the costs of making cocktails and running this site.

Originally appearing as a variation in The Savoy Cocktail Book, the modern Greyhound Cocktail evolved from a variation mentioned below the Grapefruit Cocktail.  It was described as follows:

The following Cocktail, although apparently harmless, is sometimes liable to be snappy.  It is a variation of the Grapefruit Cocktail.

Take three and half glasses of Gin and the juice of 1 1/2 good-sized Grapefruit.  Sugar to taste, plenty of ice.  Shake and serve.

The instructions here require a bit of interpretation, as a glass is thought to be about 3½ – 4 oz of gin.  In other words, 10½ oz to almost 14 oz of gin at the high end.  Using Death & Co’s interpretation that a grapefruit would result in 8 oz of juice each (12 oz total), we’ve got an almost 1:1 ratio of grapefruit to gin!

In the most generous of scenarios, this might be just a strong drink.  To adjust this more for modern palates, we’re going to slightly tweak the grapefruit up to closer to 2:1 and adding an optional touch of simple to round out grapefruits that lack a bit of sweetness.

Greyhound

Greyhound

2 oz

Gin

3½ oz

Grapefruit Juice

¼ oz

Simple Syrup (Optional)

Combine all ingredients in a shaker tin. Add ice and shake. Double strain into a rocks glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.

The Greyhound is bright, gin forward, and refreshing.  The grapefruit here gives a more rounded, rich citrus flavor that pairs well with the spice and herbal notes.  An ever so slight bitterness occasionally shows up from the grapefruit.  The flavors are simple, but enjoyable and balanced.  The slight help of the simple syrup is needed depending on your grapefruit’s sweetness.

Drink Notes & Recommendations

The concept of this drink is very straightforward, grapefruit and gin, adjust with sugar.  As such, there’s not a ton to really cover about how to make it.  The biggest adjustments to make are the amount of grapefruit and gin you’ll use, and adding sugar to cover the grapefruit’s lack (depending on the session and variety).  The garnish is also fairly varied, with no real consistency other than some form of citrus.

As a final note, remember that many medications interact with grapefruit.  Consider this before consuming or serving to guests.

• Gin – Pretty much any gin will work here, so go to your preferences.  We used a Beefeater to emulate the style of the day (London Dry), but you can easily use a contemporary like Bluecoat for more citrus or Aviation for more spice.
• Grapefruit – For best results, use fresh squeezed.  For more impressive color, look for ruby red grapefruits.
• Simple Syrup – Use 1:1 simple and adjust to your grapefruit sweetness / personal preference.