Skip advertisement Advertisement

Wiffin

Difford’s Guide
Discerning Drinkers (54)
Wiffin image
Measurements in:
Serves:
1
Ingredients
1 1⁄2 fl oz Hayman's London Dry Gin
2⁄3 fl oz Cognac (brandy)
2⁄3 fl oz Strucchi Rosso Vermouth
1 dash La Fée Parisienne absinthe

Read about cocktail measures and measuring

Difford’s Guide remains free-to-use thanks to the support of the brands in green above.

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. STIR 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 Wiffin contains 176 calories

Alcohol content:

  • 1.7 standard drinks
  • 27.65% alc./vol. (55.29° proof)
  • 23.6 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

The Wiffin was kindly brought to our attention by Jason E. Clapham and is David Wondrich's interpretation of the un-named cocktail P. G. Wodehouse had in mind when he wrote a short story called The Passing of Ambrose. Wiffin is the surname of Ambrose, the protagonist).


Many fellows in his position-practically, you might say, saved at last from worse than death-would make a stiff whisky-and-soda. Ambrose, though he had no prejudice against whisky-and-soda, felt otherwise. It must be a cocktail. The cocktail of a lifetime. A cocktail that would ring down the ages, in which gin blended smoothly with Italian Vermouth and the spot of old brandy nestled like a trusting child against the dash of absinthe ...

P. G. Wodehouse, The Passing of Ambrose, 1928

More cocktails by David Wondrich

Review

A little dilution from a good stir helps tame this spirit-forward aperitivo or late-night sipper, which mellows and becomes more pleasurable as you sip.

Difford’s Shop logo
$2.09 per cocktail*

Makes a minimum of 16.5 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

Gallery

Comments & Discussion

Mike Premium Member
Excellent and well-rated at 4.5. Faintly reminiscent of a Martinez, the cognac and absinthe steer it in a different direction. Alchemy indeed. I could go 2 dashes of absinthe but recommend you start with 1.

Ford’s gin, Maison Rouge VSOP, Cocchi di Torino, La Clandestine. (I think The Botanist would be wonderful in this drink).
score: 1
Marek Vranka
Sometimes a drink is just a sum of its parts – but in the Wiffin, the ingredients undergo an almost alchemical transformation, merging into something uniquely delicious... An instant favourite!
score: 2
John Hinojos Premium Member
OMG where has this been all my life. Perfect evening cocktail. As a lover of absinthe, it is great. Did add a spritz of absinthe to the glass and over the top. Excellent.
score: 3
Robert Spain
Strong and delicious. I decided to spray my glass with absinthe before pouring the cocktail so I can taste it's there, but not too much. 5 stars.
score: 1
Melissa Demian
Dilution and keeping the proportion of absinthe to a bare minimum do seem to be key here. So much so that I thought maybe just an absinthe rinse would be enough, and then thought why stop there, and substituted rye for the cognac. The result is quite good, but obviously not the same cocktail - one could call this variation the “Martinezerac.”
score: 1
Matt Tench
Per the comment from Simon about dilution, I tried serving with a single large ice cube in a rocks glass and sipping it, there is definitely an optimum dilution and it's more than you think. I'd also suggest using a dropper for the absinthe and tasting, it can quickly overwhelm the drink.
score: 3
Melvyn Sexton
Definitely a ‘drinkers’ cocktail which leaves a freshness on the pallet. The perfect aperitivo.
score: 4
George Ireland
A refined sweet martini. Excellent. Sampled this with Cocchi Dopo Teatro - I think it probably needs a rich vermouth - and Ableforth's Bathtub gin. This recipe is a keeper.
score: 2
Andy Parnell-Hopkinson
Sophisticated yet understated. Like this drink.
score: 2

View 9 comments and discussion

See more...

Aperitivo/aperitif Cocktails

Aperitivo/aperitif Cocktails image

Palate-cleansing, pre-dinner cocktails, often bittersweet and moderately alcoholic.

View more

Nightcap/sipping Cocktails

Nightcap/sipping Cocktails image

Cocktails suited to late-night drinking, often more spirit-forward and rich in style.

View more

Short & stirred Cocktails

Short & stirred Cocktails image

Cocktails of a small volume that are stirred (not shaken).

View more

Spirit-forward Cocktails

Spirit-forward Cocktails image

Spirit-forward cocktails have larger measures of spirituous ingredients and are sometimes described as being “boozy”.

View more
Difford’s Shop logo
$2.09 per cocktail*

Makes a minimum of 16.5 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

Desk Job

Desk Job Image

Characterful rums combine and shine in this Rum Manhattan.

View more

Long Martini

Long Martini Image

This "Martini" might be lengthened with lemonade, but it retains the essence of a proper Dry Martini, both in flavour and punch. As with a Martini...

View more

Pompanski Martini

Pompanski Martini Image

Zesty with the sharp freshness of grapefruit and a hint of orange, rounded with dry vermouth.

View more

Geisha Martini

Geisha Martini Image

A Vodka Martini given a Japanese influence with sake and Japanese whisky. Omit the sugar syrup if you like your Martinis bone dry.

View more

Sangaree

Sangaree Image

A light summertime aperitivo.

View more

Port Sangaree

Port Sangaree Image

When perfect dilution is achieved, a Port Sangree is delicious, and that requires good cubed ice, cold dry crushed ice, and powdered sugar. Even a...

View more