We love a good, straight-up gin cocktail here at Australian Bartender, and this old school Fancy Gin Cocktail is one worthy way of giving the Martini a bit of a break.
It’s in Jerry Thomas’ 1862 edition of How to Mix Drinks where you’ll find a recipe for a Fancy Gin Cocktail. It’s the same as a Gin Cocktail (gin, bitters, curacao and sugar, strained into a cocktail glass) yet with a twist — literally.
“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,” Thomas wrote in his book.
And note the use of genever in the Fancy Gin Cocktail — its rich character (as opposed to delicate gin) helps give depth in this simple, spirit-forward drink.
Fancy Gin Cocktail
- 50ml Bols Genever
- 2 dashes Boker’s Bitters
- 5ml sugar syrup
- 5ml triple sec or curacao
Stir and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.