Duchess

Serve in a

Garnish:

Orange zest twist.

How to make:

STIR all ingredients with ice and strain into chilled glass.

Review:

Aniseed and liquorice notes from absinthe pervade this vermouth-based cocktail, even though I have dramatically reduced the amount used from the original recipe which calls for equal parts of each ingredient. The Duchess is a cocktail for absinthe lovers.

History:

Adapted from a recipe in the 1930 The Savoy Cocktail Book which specifies one-third of each: absinthe, French vermouth and dry vermouth with the instruction to "stir well and strain into cocktail glass." The recipe for the Duchess Cocktail in the 1931 The Old Waldorf-Astoria Bar Book calls for the same trio of equal parts ingredients but with the addition of a dash of orange bitters and the indication that the drink should be served frappé. Interestingly, the instruction to serve "frappé" is omitted from the 1935 third edition of The Old Waldorf-Astoria Bar Book.

DUCHESS COCKTAIL.
1/3 French Vermouth.
1/3 Italian Vermouth.
1/3 Absinthe.
Shake well and strain into cocktail glass.

Harry Craddock, The Savoy Cocktail Book, 1930

DUCHESS
Dash of Oraange Bitters
One-third Absinthe
One-third French Vermouth
One-third Italian Vermouth
Frappé

Albert Stevens Crockett, Old Waldorf Astoria Bar Days, 1931

Nutrition:

One serving of Duchess contains 163 calories.

Alcohol content:

• 1.4 standard drinks
• 16.76% alc./vol. (33.52° proof)
• 20.2 grams of pure alcohol