Gin Sangaree (Sangre)

Difford’s Guide
Discerning Drinkers (21)
Measurements in:
Serves:
1
Ingredients
1 1⁄2 fl oz Hayman's Old Tom Gin
1⁄3 fl oz Sugar syrup 'rich' (2 sugar to 1 water) 65.0°Brix
1⁄3 fl oz Chilled water/mineral water

How to make

Glass

Photographed in an Urban Bar Umbo 23cl Glass

Prepare

  1. Select and pre-chill an OLD-FASHIONED GLASS.
  2. Prepare garnish of grated nutmeg.

Method

  1. SHAKE all ingredients with ice.
  2. STRAIN into glass filled with crushed ice.

Garnish

  1. Dust with freshly grated nutmeg.

Flavour Profile

No alcohol
Medium
Boozy
Sweet
Medium
Dry/sour

Health & Nutrition

Nutrition:

One serving of Gin Sangaree (Sangre) contains 128 calories

Alcohol content:

  • 1 standard drinks
  • 21.07% alc./vol. (42.15° proof)
  • 14.7 grams of pure alcohol

History

One of six Sangaree recipes in Jerry Thomas' seminal 1862 The Bar-Tender's Guide; the others: Port Wine Sangaree, Sherry Sangaree, Brandy Sangaree, Ale Sangaree, Porter Sangaree.

128. Gin Sangaree.
(Use small bar glass.)
The gin sangaree is made with the same ingredients as he gin toddy (see No. 134), omitting the nutmeg. Fill wo-thirds full of ice, and dash about a teaspoon of port wine, so that it will float on the top.
[missing 't's are as per Thomas' original text, as is misnumbering of the Gin Toddy.]

135. Gin Toddy.
(Use small bar glass.)
1 teaspoon of sugar.
½ wine glass of water.
1 do. gin.
1 small lump of ice.
Stir with a spoon.

Jerry Thomas, The Bar-Tender's Guide, 1862


Also, one of six Sangaree recipes in the 1896 book Drinks of All Kinds For All Seasons by Frederick and Seymour Davies.

Gin Sangaree.
Into a small tumbler put one teaspoon of icing sugar, one wineglass of gin, and half a wineglass of water; fill two-thirds with shaved ice, dash with port, and dust with nutmeg.

Frederick and Seymour Davies, Drinks of All Kinds For All Seasons, 1896

Review

Diluted and sweetened gin tastes great. Not many know that!

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$2.14 per cocktail*

Makes a minimum of 16.5 cocktails.
Shipping and applicable tax calculated at checkout.


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Gallery

Comments & Discussion

Simon Difford Verified User Premium Member
I’ve updated the recipe above. The previous recipe (as printed in the 18th edition of our book):

60 ml Old Tom gin
7.5 ml Sugar syrup ‘rich’ (2:1)
30 ml Tawny port (10 year old)

SHAKE gin and sugar with ice and strain into chilled glass. Lastly, POUR the port wine, which will sink through the drink and mix, leaving a thin clear layer at the top.
score: 0
Miguel Perales Premium Member
For those of you reading the old measurements above and seeing "one wine glass" measurement; no worries, that is not our current, modern wine glass size. Back then 1 wine glass was approximately 2 oz (2.2 to be exact)/ 60 ml (66 ml).
score: 2
Miguel Perales Premium Member
Found a similar recipe in a 1896 cocktail book, Drinks of All Kinds For All Seasons by Frederick and Seymour Davies. The main difference is they used a bar spoon of powdered sugar. The rest is the same. A very nice cocktail, quite complex flavor actually between the gin, port and nutmeg.
score: 1
Simon Difford Verified User Premium Member
Many thanks, Miguel. I've added the recipe from the book above.
score: 0
Luke
Interested in this as a precursor to mulled wine season. Any reason for the shake though as opposed to stirring?
score: 1
John CARR Premium Member
I imagine shaking will aerate and lighten the sweetened gin, contrasting with the thicker-textured port.
score: 0

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Difford’s Shop logo
$2.14 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.