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Remember the Maine

Difford’s Guide
Discerning Drinkers (168)
Remember the Maine image
Measurements in:
Serves:
1
Ingredients
1 fl oz Straight rye whiskey (100 proof /50% alc./vol.)
1/2 fl oz Bourbon whiskey
1/2 fl oz Strucchi Rosso Vermouth
1/4 fl oz Cherry (brandy) liqueur
2 dash La Fée Parisienne absinthe

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 lemon zest twist and skewered Luxardo Maraschino Cherry.

Method

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

Garnish

  1. EXPRESS lemon zest twist over the cocktail and discard.
  2. Garnish with skewered cherry.

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 Remember the Maine contains 155 calories

Alcohol content:

  • 1.5 standard drinks
  • 30.52% alc./vol. (61.04° proof)
  • 20.8 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.

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History

Adapted from a recipe by Charles H. Baker Junior. In his 1939 The Gentleman's Companion he writes of this cocktail, "a Hazy Memory of a Night in Havana during the Unpleasantnesses of 1933, when Each Swallow Was Punctuated with Bombs Going off on the Prado, or the Sound of 3" Shells Being Fired at the Hotel NACIONAL, then Haven for Certain Anti-Revolutionary Officers."

The cocktail is named after the press slogan, "Remember the Maine, to Hell with Spain" blaming Spain for the unexplained sinking of the U.S.S. Maine off Cuba in 1898. This helped provoke the 1898 Spanish-American War.

Some link the origin of this cocktail back to the very similar McKinley's Delight cocktail in Albert Stevens Crockett's 1931 book Old Walforf Bar Days.

MCKINLEY'S DELIGHT*
One dash Absinthe
Two dashes Cherry Brandy
Two-thirds Whiskey
One-third Italian Vermuth
Stir; strain

Albert Stevens Crockett, The Old Waldorf-Astoria Bar Book, 1931

Review

Charles H. Baker says of this twist on a Sazerac, "Treat this one with the respect it deserves, gentleman." As this relation to the Sazerac, I previously rinsed a chilled old-fashioned glass with absinthe before pouring the stirred cocktail into the absinthe-rinsed glass (without ice in the glass). However, this cocktail looks better and is better appreciated when served in a Nick & Nora glass. If you prefer more generous coupe proportions, then:
45ml (1½oz) Bottled-in-bond straight rye whiskey
22.5ml (¾oz) Straight Bourbon
22.5ml (¾oz) Rosso vermouth
10ml (⅓oz) Cherry Heering
3 dashes Absinthe

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Gallery

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Comments & Discussion

John CARR Premium Member
I think choice of spirit is important here not to clash with the Cherry or absinthe. I had Bulleit rye bumped to 40, split bourbon between wild Turkey 101 and WR double oak. The latter in particular I think didn’t sit well with the Cherry Heering - too much tannin. Interested to retry with Rittenhouse. Improved as it warmed a little.
score: 1
Simon Difford Verified User Premium Member
Looking at Discerning Drinker comments and ratings, I decided this was a cocktail I needed to revisit, and I've amended the recipe above. To put the comments below into context, the previous recipe was: 25ml bottled-in-bond straight rye whiskey, 25ml straight bourbon, 25 rosso vermouth, 10ml cherry liqueur, and 2 dashes absinthe.
score: 2
Zenoni Predez
Your amends work a treat Simon. Enjoying this with Sazerac Rye, Buffalo Trace, Cherry Herring and Cocchi Rosso
score: 1
Caspian Berggren Premium Member
A classic. Personally I think the Cherry serves great to make the cocktail something different than something like a Manhattan or La Louisiane. I used both Bulleit bourbon and Bulleit rye which, I think, helped counteract the sweetness with its pepperiness and spiciness. I can imagine something like Buffalo Trace being too sweet.
score: 1
Howard Griffin
Not a fan. For my palate there’s no getting around the cloying, hard-candy flavor imparted by the cherry liqueur.
score: 2
peterme
That's why I split it with Cherry Heering and a cherry brandy or kirschwasser
score: 2
Mookie Premium Member
I gave it 4 stars - could be a 4.5 or 5 with less cherry heering, and/or possibly 100 proof whiskeys (I used Buffalo Trace and Sazerac). but I guess I'm just not a fan of the cherry liqueurs
score: 1
Andy Parnell-Hopkinson
Tried this a few times, waiting to be impressed but it never landed... until the change of glass. Sorry Simon but this sings in a coupe. Think de la Loiusiane, forget sazerac.
score: 3
G. M. Genovese Premium Member
Hate to plug another website's recipe for a drink here, but the Imbibe version was more to my expectations of the drink: 60 ml rye, 22.5 ml rosso, 10 ml Cherry Heering, and I sprayed the glass with absinthe... I did try the above recipe though, first as written, next all rye, and I did prefer the former, fyi... Rittenhouse, Wild Turkey 101, Cocchi di Torino (my liege).
score: 2
Florian Ruf Premium Member
First ½ tried a pure rye version of this cocktail and it was very good. Next time I will try the split version. Iused: 2 teaspoon absinthe, 2 ounces rye whiskey, ¾ ounce sweet vermouth, 2 teaspoons Heering cherry liqueur; Garnish: brandied cherry
score: 2
Steve Trax
Came together beautifully
score: 1

Showing the first 9 of 13 comments.

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A rye whiskey and maple syrup sour served short and straight-up. You'd perhaps have expected this cocktail to be more drawn out.

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Mezcal adds its unique character to this tasty Mai Tai riff Mai Tai riff.

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I originally used pisco to augment the cognac/brandy, but pineapple rum sits more harmoniously with the other ingredients. A splash of fizz is an...

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Rich, flavoursome honey replaces sugar syrup in this delicious Daiquiri. The fuller your honey, the more flavoursome your rum should be.

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A cocktail that dates from the early 20th century, when it was made without egg white and served straight-up. However, this more contemporary...

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Pancho Villa

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Fruity, yet spirit-forward. Looking at the ingredients, this cocktail should be very sweet. It is rich, but it is surprising how the dilution from...

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