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Leap Year Cocktail

Difford’s Guide
Discerning Drinkers (48)
Leap Year Cocktail image
Measurements in:
Serves:
1
Ingredients
1 fl oz Hayman's London Dry Gin
1⁄2 fl oz Hayman's Old Tom Gin
1⁄2 fl oz Grand Marnier or other cognac orange liqueur
1⁄2 fl oz Strucchi Rosso Vermouth
1⁄4 fl oz Lemon juice (freshly squeezed)

Read about cocktail measures and measuring

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How to make

Glassware

Serve in a Coupe glass

Prepare

  1. Select and pre-chill a COUPE GLASS.
  2. Prepare garnish of lemon zest twist.

Method

  1. SHAKE all ingredients with ice.
  2. FINE STRAIN into chilled glass.

Garnish

  1. EXPRESS lemon zest twist over the cocktail and use as garnish.

Flavour Profile

No alcohol
Medium
Boozy
Sweet
Medium
Dry/sour
More cocktails with similar strength and taste profile

Health & Nutrition

Nutrition:

One serving of Leap Year Cocktail contains 158 calories

Alcohol content:

  • 1.5 standard drinks
  • 24.04% alc./vol. (48.07° proof)
  • 21.3 grams of pure alcohol

Allergens:

Recipe contains the following allergens:

Values stated for alcohol and calorie content, and number of drinks an ingredient makes should be considered approximate.

History

Created 29th February 1928 by Harry Craddock for the Leap Year celebrations at The American Bar in London's Savoy Hotel. The cocktail features in his 1930 The Savoy Cocktail Book with the notation, "It is said to have been responsible for more proposals than any other cocktail that has ever been mixed."

LEAP YEAR COCKTAIL.
1 Dash Lemon Juice.
2/3 Gin. 1/6 Grand Marnier.
1/6 Italian Vermouth.
Shake well and serve in cocktail glass. Squeeze lemon on top.

Harry Craddock, 1930

More cocktails by Harry Craddock

Review

To follow this cocktail's original proportions use 60ml (2oz) dry gin and omit the Old Tom, but you'll be missing out. Either way, despite the rich liqueur, this cocktail is on the bone dry/sour side.

Cocktail of the day:

1st March 2026 is Leap Year Day!

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$2.68 per cocktail*

Makes a minimum of 25 cocktails.
Shipping and applicable tax calculated at checkout.


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Comments & Discussion

Mason Hanson Premium Member
I made this with St. George Valley gin (didn't have any Old Tom) and Cinzano. I felt like I couldn't quite get the taste right; I tinkered with amounts of lemon, Grand Marnier, and finally added a bit more gin and that seemed to do the trick. Next time I'll lean a little heavier on the gin in the beginning.
score: 0
Frederic D. Premium Member
I had no Old Tom so I made this with 2 oz Bombay Sapphire. I also added 1/4 oz of simple to dial the dryness down just a bit, and ended up quite liking it. The lemon comes through nicely, and it benefits from using Grand Marnier instead of Cointreau/triple sec.
score: 3
Mason Hanson Premium Member
Agreed about the lemon! It came through much stronger than I anticipated given its amount.
score: 1
Geoff B.
Using Plymouth Gin and Cocchi di Torino was a clean and dry concoction. The lemon is very present and as suggested is nice served very cold.
score: 2
Simon Difford Verified User Premium Member
Thanks for the feedback Geoff B and David M. I've revisited and amended while seeking to respect The Savoy recipe.
score: 1
David M. Premium Member
Not a favorite. Doesn’t much taste like a Martini, but it certainly is dry despite the Cointreau and sweet vermouth. Also used Ransom Old Tom (which is not sweet, despite the name).
Could use a little more roundness. Contrary to Simon’s tip, I actually liked it a bit more as it warmed up a tad.
score: 2

View 4 comments and discussion

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Difford’s Shop logo
$2.68 per cocktail*

Makes a minimum of 25 cocktails.
Shipping and applicable tax calculated at checkout.


Orders are processed by a licensed Fulproof retailer. The buy now button is added simply for convenience.

Checkout

* May not include all ingredients. Price per cocktail is an estimate based on cost of one cocktail with ingredients shown above and does not include shipping.

Visit Difford’s Shop USA

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