Alaska (Difford's recipe)

Difford’s Guide
Discerning Drinkers (10 ratings)

Photographed in an UB Nick And Nora 1920

Ingredients:
1 disc Orange zest/swath
1 23 oz Hayman's Old Tom Gin
12 oz Yellow Chartreuse (or génépy liqueur)
2 dash Orange Bitters by Angostura
2 drop Saline solution 4:1 (20g sea salt to 80g water)
1 dash La Fée Parisienne absinthe
14 oz Chilled water omit if using wet ice
× 1 1 serving
Read about cocktail measures and measuring

How to make:

  1. Select and pre-chill a Nick & Nora glass.
  2. Prepare garnish of orange zest twist.
  3. EXPRESS the oils of a coin-size orange zest into the base of stirring glass.
  4. Add other ingredients, REGAL STIR with ice.
  5. STRAIN into chilled glass.
  6. EXPRESS orange zest twist over the cocktail and use as garnish.

Strength & taste guide:

No alcohol
Medium
Boozy
Strength 8/10
Sweet
Medium
Dry/sour
Sweet to sour 6/10

Review:

A classic Alaska mixed with a dash of absinthe and mixed with a Regal Stir.

View readers' comments

History:

Recipe by yours truly in August 2023.

Alcohol content:

  • 1.4 standard drinks
  • 27.55% alc./vol. (27.55° proof)
  • 20.2 grams of pure alcohol

Difford’s Guide remains free-to-use thanks to the support of the brands in green above. Values stated for alcohol and calorie content, and number of drinks an ingredient makes should be considered approximate.

Join the discussion

Showing 5 comments for Alaska (Difford's recipe).
See discussion in the Forum

Please log in to make a comment
Florian Ruf’s Avatar Florian Ruf
24th March at 13:28
I have recently added a variation from Coqodaq in NY using Midor melon, published by Punch. If you are interested: https://www.diffordsguide.com/cocktails/recipe/33235/coqodaqs-alaska
Simon Difford’s Avatar Simon Difford
24th March at 14:35
I took the liberty of renaming Matt Chavez's creation a Cosmic Alaska:
https://www.diffordsguide.com/cocktails/recipe/29165/cosmic-alaska
23rd February at 01:06
I’m always amazed how absinthe (a flavor I generally cannot stand), in moderate amounts, adds such complexity to a cocktail. I have to say this is the best version of the Alaska that I have had.
Jacques  Gaudin ’s Avatar Jacques Gaudin
16th December 2023 at 02:55
I was surprised how absinthe and orange work so well together. My garnish was a disc of orange peel (used a mini cookie cutter). Never been to Alaska but somehow feels like I've seen a sunset on its icy landscape.
Andy Prior’s Avatar Andy Prior
13th September 2023 at 21:25
The instructions are a bit “not right”. You express the orange into the glass. But then mix everything in the glass and then strain into the same glass? I know you are good Simon - but I wanna see that!
Simon Difford’s Avatar Simon Difford
14th September 2023 at 07:35
The instructions are correct! Express zest into "stirring glass", stir and strain to "chilled glass." Two different glasses - one being stirring glass and the other being a Nick & Nora.
Mark Catone’s Avatar Mark Catone
28th August 2023 at 14:06
Yellow Chartreuse is not available in most places in the US. Are there substitutes that nan be used?
Simon Difford’s Avatar Simon Difford
29th August 2023 at 10:52
Not directly at the moment, but due to the shortage, folk are working on creating new products to use as a substitute.