The Cocktail Spirit with Robert Hess

Necessity can often be a wonderful inspiration. David Wondrich created this drink several years ago when he wanted to bring a bottle of pre-mixed Manhattans to a gathering of friends on Halloween. But his liquor cabinet was missing a few critical ingredients. Using what was at hand, he crafted a drink which focused on Jameson and Lillet, and the “Weeski” was born.

This drink clearly comes from the era of American Prohibition. I found it in the Savoy Cocktail Book, which was published in 1933, so even if this wasn’t its first in-print appearance, it had to be pretty close. This recipe specifically called for Plymouth gin, as well as Kina Lillet. Plymouth is of course still around, but there is some debate as to if the currently available Lillet is the same as was once marketed as “Kina Lillet”. Some evidence appears to indicate that the product was reformulated sometime in the past, and it’s bitterness from the quinine might have been softened at that time.

This drink clearly comes from the era of American Prohibition. I found it in the Savoy Cocktail Book, which was published in 1933, so even if this wasn’t its first in-print appearance, it had to be pretty close. This recipe specifically called for Plymouth gin, as well as Kina Lillet. Plymouth is of course still around, but there is some debate as to if the currently available Lillet is the same as was once marketed as “Kina Lillet”. Some evidence appears to indicate that the product was reformulated sometime in the past, and it’s bitterness from the quinine might have been softened at that time.

This drink was created by Pepe Ruiz, bartender at Chasen’s in Beverly Hills. Dean Martin had apparently grown tired of the same Martini over and over again, and asked Pepe for something different. This is the drink Pepe came up with.

This drink was created by Pepe Ruiz, bartender at Chasen’s in Beverly Hills. Dean Martin had apparently grown tired of the same Martini over and over again, and asked Pepe for something different. This is the drink Pepe came up with.

This cocktail was named after the Algonquin Hotel, which opened its doors in 1902 in one of New York’s most fashionable neighborhoods. The hotel gained its greatest fame a few years later as the home of the Algonquin Round Table, the repeating literary lunch in which Alexander Woollcott, Harpo Marx, Dorothy Parker, Robert Benchley, and their compatriots held sway on New York’s cultural scene. There were in fact several drinks named after this historic venue, but this recipe is the one currently served by the hotel’s bartenders.

This cocktail was named after the Algonquin Hotel, which opened its doors in 1902 in one of New York’s most fashionable neighborhoods. The hotel gained its greatest fame a few years later as the home of the Algonquin Round Table, the repeating literary lunch in which Alexander Woollcott, Harpo Marx, Dorothy Parker, Robert Benchley, and their compatriots held sway on New York’s cultural scene. There were in fact several drinks named after this historic venue, but this recipe is the one currently served by the hotel’s bartenders.

There are various origin stories of the Jack Rose Cocktail. Some attribute it to a colorful and slightly nefarious individual named Jack Rose, others to Joseph Rose a Newark bartender who once held the title of “World Champion Mixologist”. Another story has the cocktail named after the Jacquemot Rose varietal because of its color. Regardless of its origins, it is probably the most popular cocktail which uses Applejack.

There are various origin stories of the Jack Rose Cocktail. Some attribute it to a colorful and slightly nefarious individual named Jack Rose, others to Joseph Rose a Newark bartender who once held the title of “World Champion Mixologist”. Another story has the cocktail named after the Jacquemot Rose varietal because of its color. Regardless of its origins, it is probably the most popular cocktail which uses Applejack.

The Caesar Cocktail was apparently invented in 1969 by Walter Chell, the restaurant manager of the Calgary Inn in Alberta, Canada and is essentially a Bloody Mary using Clamato juice instead of tomato juice. Chell supposedly spent three months perfecting the drink, ending up with the simple 1-2-3-4 recipe. This drink is very popular in Canada; at one point there was a movement to make it the national drink there!

The Caesar Cocktail was apparently invented in 1969 by Walter Chell, the restaurant manager of the Calgary Inn in Alberta, Canada and is essentially a Bloody Mary using Clamato juice instead of tomato juice. Chell supposedly spent three months perfecting the drink, ending up with the simple 1-2-3-4 recipe. This drink is very popular in Canada; at one point there was a movement to make it the national drink there!

Without looking too hard, you'll find a few different recipes going by the name "White Lady". Two, three or even four of them are all from the same bartender, Harry MacElhone, who created the drink in 1919. His original recipe called for Creme de Menthe, Cointreau, and Lemon Juice. In "ABC of Mixing Drinks" he lists it as Brandy, Creme de Menthe, and Cointreau, and then in 1923, when he took over the New York Bar in Paris, he updated the recipe again to be gin, Cointreau, and lemon juice, which is far more palatable. Many times these days, you will find this drink made with egg white as well. The recipe used here is as it was served by Harry Craddock at the Savoy cocktail bar in London.

Without looking too hard, you'll find a few different recipes going by the name "White Lady". Two, three or even four of them are all from the same bartender, Harry MacElhone, who created the drink in 1919. His original recipe called for Creme de Menthe, Cointreau, and Lemon Juice. In "ABC of Mixing Drinks" he lists it as Brandy, Creme de Menthe, and Cointreau, and then in 1923, when he took over the New York Bar in Paris, he updated the recipe again to be gin, Cointreau, and lemon juice, which is far more palatable. Many times these days, you will find this drink made with egg white as well. The recipe used here is as it was served by Harry Craddock at the Savoy cocktail bar in London.

If you dig into the often confusing history of the Bloody Mary, you will encounter references to it first being served in 1934 at the St. Regis hotel in New York by Fernand Petiot who brought the recipe with him from Paris (where some accounts claim he invented it). Since the name “Bloody Mary” was deemed to be a little to vulgar for the establishment, it was re-christened the “Red Snapper”, it is also said that since vodka wasn’t yet easily available here in the US, gin was used instead. Eventually the original name was returned to the drink, but the Red Snapper continued to be made with gin instead of vodka.

If you dig into the often confusing history of the Bloody Mary, you will encounter references to it first being served in 1934 at the St. Regis hotel in New York by Fernand Petiot who brought the recipe with him from Paris (where some accounts claim he invented it). Since the name “Bloody Mary” was deemed to be a little to vulgar for the establishment, it was re-christened the “Red Snapper”, it is also said that since vodka wasn’t yet easily available here in the US, gin was used instead. Eventually the original name was returned to the drink, but the Red Snapper continued to be made with gin instead of vodka.