Longines

Difford’s Guide
Discerning Drinkers (4 ratings)

Serve in a Coupe glass

Ingredients:
1 13 oz Spanish brandy
12 oz Aniseed (anise) liqueur
1 oz Cold black tea
14 oz Monin Pure Cane Syrup (65.0°brix, equivalent to 2:1 rich syrup)
× 1 1 serving
Read about cocktail measures and measuring

How to make:

  1. Select and pre-chill a Coupe glass.
  2. Prepare garnish of lemon zest twist.
  3. SHAKE all ingredients with ice.
  4. FINE STRAIN into chilled glass.
  5. EXPRESS lemon zest twist over the cocktail and use as garnish.

Strength & taste guide:

No alcohol
Medium
Boozy
Strength 7/10
Sweet
Medium
Dry/sour
Sweet to sour 6/10

Review:

The combination of Spanish brandy, strong aniseed liqueur (at least 40% alc./vol.) and black tea give this cocktail a pleasing liquorice flavour with mouth numbing freshness. Traditionally a dulce (sweet) Spanish aniseed liqueur would be used without the added sugar. If using a dry (secco) aniseed liqueur then I'd suggest adding a generous bar spoon of sugar.

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History:

Adapted from a recipe created in the 1930s-40s by the famous bartender, Constante Ribalaigua Vert at his Floridita bar in Havana, Cuba. The Longines shows his Spanish origins (he was born outside of Barcelona in 1888) with its use of Spanish brandy and (originally) Anis del Mono, a Spanish aniseed liqueur available in two styles, Dulce (sweet) and Secco (dry). The Dulce is by far the most popular style and almost certainly the one used by Constante.

Nutrition:

One serving of Longines contains 163 calories

Alcohol content:

  • 1.1 standard drinks
  • 16.85% alc./vol. (16.85° proof)
  • 15.6 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.

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13th February at 07:36
Substituting oksusu-cha (Korean corn tea; you can use cheap stuff from any Asian grocery store) for the black tea and brown sugar syrup for the simple syrup makes for a subtle, complex, and delicious cocktail.