Photographed in an UB 1910 Old Fashioned 10.5oz
1 swath | Orange peel |
3⁄4 oz | Bourbon whiskey |
3⁄4 oz | Bénédictine D.O.M. liqueur |
1⁄2 oz | Rémy Martin V.S.O.P. cognac |
1⁄4 oz | Cointreau triple sec liqueur |
1 dash | Orange Bitters by Angostura |
Some modern interpretations call for orange curaçao in place of triple sec. I stirred both versions alongside each other to sample what each liqueur brings to this cocktail, and I find myself much preferring triple sec, as per the original recipe, but with the subtle extra depth and zestiness afforded by stirring with a swath of orange peel.
This cocktail was created at and took its name from the famous Cock 'n Bull British-style pub on Hollywood's Sunset Strip, founded in 1937 by Jack Morgan. An anglophile, he covered the walls with cutting from framed cuttings from English newspapers, portraits of British monarchs, and prints of English landmarks and countryside. The 'pub' is famed for being where head bartender Wes Price created the Moscow Mule, so cementing his name and that of Jack and the Cock 'n Bull in cocktail history. When Jack died in 1974, his son John took over the running of the bar, which finally closed after 50 years in 1987.
It features in Ted Saucier's Bottom's Up as the "Cock 'N Bull Special," meaning it was created sometime between the bar opening in 1937 and the publication of this Saucier's book in 1951.
COCK 'N BULL SPECIAL
Ted Saucier, Bottom's Up, 1951
Courtesy, The Cock 'n Bull, Hollywood
½ oz. brandy
¾ oz. benedictine
¾ oz. bourbon
¼ oz. Cointreau
Ice
Stir. Pour over cube of ice in a large chilled champagne glass. Garnish with twist of orange peel.
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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Given the comments, and my first impressions, I suggest the Sweet/Sour scale should be set to 4. For sure not 6, as none of the ingredients have any appreciable sour components. Maybe better with a different bourbon, and made 'long'.