Exhibit #92: Commemorative Cocktails

It would be fair enough to say the great majority of cocktails were made to commemorate something or other, these are just a little more special or timely…most hail from the Savoy cocktail book, and are among the few drinks in the volume upon which author Harry Craddock comments, all of which we’ve reprinted below.

20th Century Cocktail $7
Dry gin, Lillet blanc, crème de cacao, and lemon juice, up. From the Café Royal, London. An excellent choice for a nightcap or if you’re looking for something on the shimmering and sprightly side.

Depth Charge Brandy Cocktail $12
Nearly a jigger each of two top shelf brandies (Martell VSOP cognac and Busnel VSOP calvados) leavened with a small amount of lemon juice and even less grenadine, up. Harry Craddock wrote of this WWI tipple, “[one of] two favourite War-time cocktails. They owed their inspiration to the activities of the famous M.L. Submarine Chasers during the hostilities.”

Earthquake $13
Equal parts dry gin (Old Raj), rye whiskey (Rittenhouse), and absinthe (Lucid), up. “So-called because if there should happen to be an earthquake on when you are drinking it, it won’t matter. This is a Cocktail whose potency is not to be taken too lightly, or, for that matter, too frequently!” What does it taste like? War – total war. In your mouth. We are giving the drink its proper due by using some particularly fine spirits at an average strength of 111 proof. A double, and then some.

Leap Year Cocktail $8
Dry gin, red vermouth, and Grand Marnier (4:1:1), with a dash of lemon juice, up. Craddock created this one for the Savoy’s 1928 Leap Day celebration. “[this cocktail] has been said to have been responsible for more proposals than any other cocktail that has ever been mixed.”

Royal Wedding $8
Dry gin, Swedish punsch, lime juice, with a couple dashes of Grand Marnier and grenadine, the latter as garnish, up. I assume the drink refers to the 1923 wedding between Prince Albert and the future Queen Elizabeth I.

Volstead Cocktail $8
Rye whiskey, Swedish punsch, orange juice, raspberry syrup, and a dash of anisette, up.