Self Starter Cocktail.
1/8 Apricot Brandy. (1/4 oz Destillerie Purkhart “Blume Marillen” Apricot Eau-de-Vie)
3/8 Kina Lillet. (3/4 oz Jean de Lillet Reserve, 2004)
1/2 Dry Gin. (1 oz North Short Distiller’s Gin No. 6)
2 Dashes Absinthe. (2 Dash Lucid Absinthe)
Shake (I stirred) well and strain into cocktail glass.

Savoy Hotel Special Cocktail* (No. 1)
1 Dash Absinthe. (Sirene Absinthe Verte)
2 Dashes Grenadine. (5ml Small Hand Foods Grenadine)
1/3 French Vermouth. (3/4 oz Dolin Dry Vermouth)
2/3 Dry Gin. (1 1/2 oz Beefeater Gin)
Shake (I stirred) well and strain into cocktail glass. Squeeze lemon peel on top.

* Peter ninth Earl of Savoy, brought to England, as his wards, eighty-three of the most wealthy and beautiful girls in France. He then married them to the most powerful nobles in England. That is why he wore armour.

On the Roselyn cocktail I complained about pointless and gratuitous en-pinkening of cocktails. Well, at least in the case of the Savoy Hotel Special (No. 1), there’s enough of interest here that you don’t mind it is slightly pink.

One thing I have noticed is a gross discrepancy in the size of bar spoons. To alleviate the questionable measuring in using them, I have decided to begin deploying a device called an Urban Bar Spoon. On one side it has a 5ml measure and on the other a 2.5ml measure. Going forward, for liquid items like grenadine, lemon juice, and others not typically kept in dasher bottles, I’m going to use a 2.5ml per dash standard. A bit large, I know, but I am also probably making the cocktails on the large side.

Edit: Fix typo in bar spoon size.

This post is one in a series documenting my ongoing effort to make all of the cocktails in the Savoy Cocktail Book, starting at the first, Abbey, and ending at the last, Zed.

Sand-Martin Cocktail
1 Teaspoonful Green Chartreuse. (1 Teaspoonful of Yellow Chartreuse)
1/2 Italian Vermouth. (1 oz Carpano Antica Italian Vermouth)
1/2 Dry Gin. (1 oz Beefeater Gin)
Shake (I stirred) well and strain into cocktail glass.

In his pre-prohibition book “Cocktails: How to Mix Them,” Robert Vermeire notes regarding the “San Martin Cocktail”, “This well known South American drink must be well shaken. It contains no Bitters of any description, but: ½ gill of Gin; ½ gill of Italian Vermouth; 1 teaspoonful of Yellow Chartreuse; A little lemon peel is squeezed on top.”

Odd that Vermeire specifies the “San Martin” must be “well shaken”.

San Martin or Sand-Martin, I guess since this doesn’t have bitters, it really isn’t really a Martinez variation. More of a “Lone Tree” variation, I suppose. Well, however you decide to classify it, it is quite tasty, whether you make it with yellow or green chartreuse. Though I kind of lean towards yellow.

This post is one in a series documenting my ongoing effort to make all of the cocktails in the Savoy Cocktail Book, starting at the first, Abbey, and ending at the last, Zed.

Salome Cocktail.
1/3 French Vermouth. (3/4 oz Dolin Dry Vermouth)
1/3 Dry Gin. (3/4 oz Junipero Gin)
1/3 Dubonnet. (3/4 oz Dubonnet Rouge)
Shake well and strain into cocktail glass.

While I am unclear exactly what this combination of Dry Vermouth, Dubonnet Rouge, and Dry Gin has to do with the beheading of John the Baptist, it is a fine, light libation.

An orange or lemon twist wouldn’t kill anyone, nor would a dash of bitters. Still, this is quite pleasant.

This post is one in a series documenting my ongoing effort to make all of the cocktails in the Savoy Cocktail Book, starting at the first, Abbey, and ending at the last, Zed.

Russian Cocktail.
1/3 Crème de Cacao. (3/4 oz Bols White Creme de Cacao, errr, no, 3/4 oz Yellow Chartreuse!)
1/3 Dry Gin. (3/4 oz Beefeater Gin)
1/3 Vodka. (3/4 oz Crystal Head Vodka)
Shake well, strain into cocktail glass, and tossitoff quickski.

To be honest, I don’t really get the combination of Gin and Creme de Cacao, Vodka or no. And to be perfectly honest, you could probably sub in any other relatively clear liqueur and be happier. I know I was, using Yellow Chartreuse instead of Creme de Cacao.

The goofy Crystal Head vodka came in the mail from some company promoting the brand. It is a perfectly fine, if somewhat bland vodka.  I think it retails for something like $45 US, more than I ever pay for vodka.  Nice skull, though.

This post is one in a series documenting my ongoing effort to make all of the cocktails in the Savoy Cocktail Book, starting at the first, Abbey, and ending at the last, Zed.

Royal Smile Cocktail.
The Juice of 1/4 Lemon. (1/2 oz Lemon Juice)
1/4 Grenadine. (1/2 oz Homeade Grenadine)
1/2 Applejack or Calvados. (1 oz Calvados Groult Reserve)
1/4 Dry Gin. (1/2 oz Krogstad Aquavit*)
Shake well and strain into cocktail glass.

Oh my goodness, how did that Aquavit get into this cocktail?

Thinking about Calvados, flavors, and cocktails, the anise-caraway medley of the Krogstad Aquavit lept to mind. And after making it with Aquavit, I didn’t even bother making it again with Gin. I think Gin just functions as filler in this cocktail, anyway, stretching the more expensive Calvados with neutral flavors.

Aquavit, however, combines very nicely with the vegetal aspects of the Calvados, and the Krogstad, with its strong Anise adds even more to the drink than a traditional aquavit would.

I really liked my variation on the Royal Smile. Give it a try and let me know if I’m crazy.

*The Krogstad Aquavit used in this cocktail was sent to me as a promotional gift by House Spirits, its producer.

This post is one in a series documenting my ongoing effort to make all of the cocktails in the Savoy Cocktail Book, starting at the first, Abbey, and ending at the last, Zed.

Royal Cocktail (No. 2)
1/3 French Vermouth. (3/4 oz Dolin Dry Vermouth)
1/3 Dry Gin. (3/4 oz Plymouth Gin)
1/3 Cherry Brandy. (3/4 oz Cherry Heering)

Stir well and strain into cocktail glass.

Went with Plymouth, as it seemed like it’s slightly dark flavor profile would complement the Cherry Heering.

While I stick with that decision, this cocktail just isn’t that interesting. It’s perfectly fine and all, but just doesn’t do much for me.

Sorry for the crap photo. Wrestling with the new paradigm, and not inspired enough with this slightly insipid cocktail to re-do the photo. Insipid cocktail, insipid photo.

This post is one in a series documenting my ongoing effort to make all of the cocktails in the Savoy Cocktail Book, starting at the first, Abbey, and ending at the last, Zed.

Royal Cocktail (No. 1).
The Juice of 1/2 Lemon.
1/2 Tablespoonful Powdered Sugar. (Generous Bar Spoon Caster Sugar)
1 Egg.
1 Glass Dry Gin. (2 oz Aviation Gin)
Shake well and strain into medium size glass.
Haven’t had Aviation Gin in the house for a while, but the generous folks at House Spirits in Portland, Oregon were kind enough to send this bottle along.

I don’t like it for everything, but it was tasty enough in this simple Gin Sour with an egg.

Like a lot of modern (or New Western) style gins, they include some non-traditional botanicals in their flavorings.  In Aviation’s case, the big departure is Lavender.  Nice, but it just doesn’t work in some drinks.  Actually, IMHO, its namesake the Aviation, is one of those drinks where it really doesn’t work all that well.  But that is neither here nor there.

I enjoyed it in this drink, the Royal Cocktail (No. 1), and also think it makes a fine ATTY.  Other than that, you’re on your own.  Let me know what you find out.

This post is one in a series documenting my ongoing effort to make all of the cocktails in the Savoy Cocktail Book, starting at the first, Abbey, and ending at the last, Zed.

Rosington Cocktail.

1/3 Italian Vermouth, (3/4 oz Punt e Mes)
2/3 Dry Gin. (1 1/2 oz Ransom Old Tom Gin)

Shake well and strain into cocktail glass. Squeeze orange peel on top.

Well, I was kind of thinking of the Lone Tree Cocktail and remembering how it was made with Old Tom instead of Dry Gin.  Seemed like Old Tom would be a sensible substitution in the Rosington.

The Ransom Old Tom is an interesting choice here.  Conceived as a sort of half way point between later style Old Tom Gin and earlier styles which may have used some portion of Malt Wine, this is an interesting product.  It also packs quite a wallop at 88 Proof!

I also went with the Punt e Mes, since the cocktail had no bitters.

Woo!  A two ingredient Cocktail.  And a tasty one, at that.

This post is one in a series documenting my ongoing effort to make all of the cocktails in the Savoy Cocktail Book, starting at the first, Abbey, and ending at the last, Zed.

Roselyn Cocktail.

2 Dashes Grenadine. (Bar Spoon Homemade Grenadine)
1/3 French Vermouth. (3/4 oz Dolin Dry Vermouth)
2/3 Dry Gin. (1 1/2 oz Beefeater’s Gin)

Shake well and strain into a cocktail glass. Squeeze lemon peel on top.

For some reason, I just felt like going with the actual instructions for a change and shaking this.

Only a very, very slight difference from the preceding “Rose Cocktail (French Style No. 1)”, I can’t say the Roselyn is exactly anything ground breaking. Another slightly sweetened and en-pinkened Dry Martini. Not that there is anything wrong with that, per se. It’s just if you’re going to go around pinkening Martinis, doing it with Peychaud’s or Angostura Bitters would be a lot more flavorful than grenadine.

This post is one in a series documenting my ongoing effort to make all of the cocktails in the Savoy Cocktail Book, starting at the first, Abbey, and ending at the last, Zed.