Darlington

Difford’s Guide
Discerning Drinkers (50 ratings)

Serve in a Coupe glass

Ingredients:
1 13 oz Hayman's London Dry Gin
13 oz Calvados / apple brandy / straight applejack
13 oz Bols Blue Curaçao
23 oz Strucchi Dry Vermouth
23 oz Lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
13 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 orange zest twist.
  3. SHAKE all ingredients with ice.
  4. FINE STRAIN into chilled glass.
  5. EXPRESS orange zest twist over the cocktail and use as garnish.

Allergens:

Recipe contains the following allergens:

Strength & taste guide:

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

Review:

Aquamarine blue, this delicately fruity gin-based cocktail is dried by a splash of vermouth and soured by lemon juice.

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History:

In William James "Billy" Tarling's 1937 Café Royal Cocktail Book (Coronation Edition), the invention of this cocktail is credited to J. B. O'Brien. Made to the proportions specified in Tarling's book, the above recipe would only have 5ml (1/6oz) sugar syrup.

DARLINGTON.
Invented by J. B. O'Brien
4/10 Booth's Gin.
1/10 Calvados, Un Trou Normand.
1/10 Blue Curaçao, Bols.
2/10 French Vermouth, Noilly Prat.
2/10 Fresh Lemon Juice.
Dash Gomme Syrup.
Shake.

William J. Tarling, Café Royal Cocktail Book, 1937

Nutrition:

One serving of Darlington contains 177 calories

Alcohol content:

  • 1.4 standard drinks
  • 17.5% alc./vol. (17.5° proof)
  • 19.2 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.

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Catherine Wright’s Avatar Catherine Wright
17th July 2024 at 05:19
Made these again, my French friends, not used to full blown cocktails, love this recipe. Added Schweppes Tonic water as a spritz. Great summer drink and looks lovely. Schweppes Tonic water has reduced the sugar and the quinine. Much better taste and more subtle.
John Hinojos’ Avatar John Hinojos
18th June 2024 at 01:09
Having again after three years. Just as wonderful as we remembered. Went perfectly as an aperitif with fresh vegetables and a mild goat cheese.
Catherine Wright’s Avatar Catherine Wright
17th May 2024 at 16:25
I added the syrup slowly and and added another 1cl of curacao. A little bland at first and the syrup helped open up the cocktail. Would also consider added half of everything again to get more for 2 cocktails. Light and easy and could be dangerous with more than one!
Dávid Ugróczi’s Avatar Dávid Ugróczi
28th September 2023 at 21:01
Used around 7.5 ml agave syrup in place of the sugar.
Very tasty, would (and probably will) make again.
Doris Magnus’ Avatar Doris Magnus
24th January 2022 at 00:11
Appealing to the eye, a little sweet even with the lemon taking down the sweetness. Still an enjoyable sip!
John Hinojos’ Avatar John Hinojos
3rd June 2021 at 23:21
Great colour. Makes a wonderful sipping or aperitif. As per personal taste, we used half of the sugar syrup. We like our cocktails a bit on the sour side. Would recommend.