Imperial

Difford’s Guide
Discerning Drinkers (16 ratings)

Serve in a Nick & Nora glass

Ingredients:
2 12 oz Strucchi Dry Vermouth
34 oz Luxardo Maraschino liqueur
3 dash La Fée Parisienne absinthe
2 dash Orange Bitters by Angostura
4 drop Saline solution 4:1 (20g sea salt to 80g water)
× 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 lemon zest twist and skewered Luxardo Maraschino Cherry.
  3. STIR all ingredients with ice.
  4. STRAIN into chilled glass.
  5. Express lemon zest twist over the cocktail and discard.
  6. Garnish with skewered cherry.

Allergens:

Recipe contains the following allergens:

Strength & taste guide:

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

Review:

Unusually, maraschino liqueur is the backbone of this dry vermouth-based cocktail.

View readers' comments

Variant:

Imperial Martini

History:

The Imperial Cocktail was first published in Harry Johnson's 1900 New & Improved Illustrated Bartender's Manual.

IMPERIAL COCKTAIL.
(Use a large bar glass.)
¾ glass full of fine-shaved ice;
1 or 2 dashes of orange bitters;
1 or 2 dashes of absinthe;
½ wine glass of French vermouth;
½ wine glass of maraschino;
Stir up well with a spoon, strain into a cocktail glass, putting a cherry, squeeze a piece of lemon peel on top and serve.

Harry Johnson, New & Improved Illustrated Bartender's Manual, 1900

Nutrition:

One serving of Imperial contains 146 calories

Alcohol content:

  • 1.2 standard drinks
  • 17.08% alc./vol. (17.08° proof)
  • 16.9 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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Joe Rogan’s Avatar Joe Rogan
28th April at 09:52
I added 2.5 ml maraschino syrup to mine and it tasted like the maraschino drink. Like a lengthened maraschino cherry. 100% better!
Jacques  Gaudin ’s Avatar Jacques Gaudin
5th March at 00:39
I was a bit sceptical before trying this but actually it turns out to be rather interesting and complex. Will keep that in mind for those who like less boozy drinks.
Christina Strong’s Avatar Christina Strong
22nd February at 08:27
Admittedly, I am a Maraschino lover, but this is is a beautifully balanced dry cocktail. Starts off dry then blooms into sweet. I didn't find it too boozy! It looks stunning in the glass too. I shall be making it again.