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Rose (French style) No. 2

Difford’s Guide
Discerning Drinkers (26)
Rose (French style) No. 2 image
Measurements in:
Serves:
1
Ingredients
1 fl oz Hayman's London Dry Gin
1/2 fl oz Kirschwasser (cherry) eau-de-vie
1/2 fl oz Cherry (brandy) liqueur

Read about cocktail measures and measuring

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How to make

Glassware

Serve in a Nick & Nora glass

Prepare

  1. Select and pre-chill a NICK & NORA GLASS.
  2. Prepare garnish of orange zest twist.

Method

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

Garnish

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

Flavour Profile

No alcohol
Medium
Boozy
Strength 8/10
Sweet
Medium
Dry/sour
Sweet to sour 6/10
More cocktails with similar strength and taste profile

Health & Nutrition

Nutrition:

One serving of Rose (French style) No. 2 contains 149 calories

Alcohol content:

  • 1.3 standard drinks
  • 29.41% alc./vol. (58.82° proof)
  • 17.7 grams of pure alcohol

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

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History

Adapted from a recipe created in 2025 by J. E. Clapham of Clapham Cocktails. In turn, an adaptation of a recipe in William "Cocktail Bill" Boothby's 1930 Swallows : World's Drinks And How To Mix Them.

ROSE
Gin . . . . . . . . ½ jigger
Kirschwasser . . . . . . . . ¼ jigger
Cherry Brandy . . . . . . . . ¼ jigger
Stir well with ice, strain into chilled cocktail glass, add Maraschino cherry, twist lemon peel over and serve.

William Boothby, 1934


ROSE COCKTAIL. (FRENCH STYLE No. 2)
¼ Cherry Brandy.
¼ Kirsch.
½ Dry Gin.
Stir well and strain into cocktail glass.

Harry Craddock, The Savoy Cocktail Book, 1930

More cocktails by J. E. Clapham of Clapham Cocktails

Review

I've reduced the proportions of this cocktail by one-third as I believe, where such richly flavoured spirituous cocktails are concerned, less is more.

Variations/similar cocktails

Rose (English) - gin, apricot brandy, dry vermouth, lemon juice, and grenadine.
Rose (by Johnny Milta) - dry vermouth, kirschwasser, and groseille syrup.
Rose (by Albert of the Chatham Bar) - dry vermouth, kirschwasser, cherry brandy, and groseille syrup.
Rose No. 3 - dry vermouth, kirschwasser, and groseille syrup.

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$2.72 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.

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* 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.

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Comments & Discussion

John CARR Premium Member
Playing with the kirsch recipes this evening, this one pretty much wrote itself / was waiting for something like this to come up. Perfect in itself, though combining with chocolate in some form seemed like an open invitation. Improved as it warmed a little, as so often.
score: 2
John CARR Premium Member
Very fruity, I’d be tempted to bump the gin even just to 35ml to dry it out a little.
score: 2
Matt Premium Member
Elegant - an attractive pale rose gold color that is perfectly clear - this is not a cherry flavored confection. This is an excellent gin cocktail, like a distant cousin of a Martinez, the gin dominates the early taste and the mouthfeel, and then you are given a sweet kiss at the finish - wonderful! I recommend Luxardo Cherry liqueur (not Maraschino!) instead of Heering (I like it better), that may also need why my cocktail turned out so much more attractive than the dark amber of the pictured cocktail.
score: 0
Evan Miller
This is obviously personal preference, but this was definitely too booze forward for me. While I could happily accept it and sip on it, making it myself requires a touch more sweetness. It didn’t even taste much like cherry to me. I added some Reál Black Cherry Purée, tasted it then added some simple syrup. About a bar soon of each (in a doubled recipe) After the simple addition the cherry flavor really came out and the sweetness level brought it into the realm of enjoyable for me.
score: 1
John Hinojos Premium Member
What an outstanding evening sipper. Wonderful herbal hints with the taste of cherries. Felt that it had an aftertaste of cocoa. Delightful.
Appreciate the recipe adjustment, but we made a triple between the two of us. Fit perfectly into a coupe glass. In my favourites.
score: 5
Mark Shah
Just curious - you said that you had reduced the proportions by a 1/3 but they look the same as the two old recipes further down.
score: 1
Simon Difford Verified User Premium Member
Same proportions but I originally had a third more volume of each. e.g. 45ml rather than 30ml.
score: 2
Chris Tye
Thanks for the reply. It's a very nice glass.
score: 1
Chris Tye
If anyone could tell me the brand of glass in the illustration I'd love to know. Thanks.
score: 1
Simon Difford Verified User Premium Member
It's from my collection and I believe vintage.
score: 2

View 7 comments and discussion

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Difford’s Shop logo
$2.72 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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