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Claridge Cocktail

Difford’s Guide
Discerning Drinkers (86)
Claridge Cocktail image
Measurements in:
Serves:
1
Ingredients
1 fl oz Hayman's London Dry Gin
1 fl oz Strucchi Dry Vermouth
1/3 fl oz Cointreau L'Unique triple sec liqueur
1/3 fl oz Luxardo Apricot Albicocca Liqueur
3 drop Saline solution (20g sea salt to 80g water) or merest pinch of s

Read about cocktail measures and measuring

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How to make

Glassware

Serve in a Nick & Nora glass

Prepare

  1. Select and pre-chill a NICK & NORA GLASS.
  2. Prepare garnish of lemon zest twist.

Method

  1. SHAKE or STIR all ingredients with ice.
  2. STRAIN into chilled glass.

Garnish

  1. EXPRESS lemon zest twist over the cocktail and use as garnish.

Flavour Profile

No alcohol
Medium
Boozy
Strength 8/10
Sweet
Medium
Dry/sour
Sweet to sour 7/10
More cocktails with similar strength and taste profile

Health & Nutrition

Nutrition:

One serving of Claridge Cocktail contains 146 calories

Alcohol content:

  • 1.4 standard drinks
  • 22.74% alc./vol. (45.47° proof)
  • 19.5 grams of pure alcohol

Allergens:

Recipe contains the following allergens:

Values stated for alcohol and calorie content, and number of drinks an ingredient makes should be considered approximate.

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History

This cocktail is first published in Harry McElhone's 1922 book Harry's ABC of Mixing Cocktails where the recipe is credited to "Leon, Bartender, Claridge's Hotel, Champs-Elysées, Paris." The recipe is repeated in Harry Craddock's 1930 The Savoy Cocktail Book.


Claridge Cocktail.
1/3 French vermouth, 1/3 Gin, 1/6 Apricot Brandy, 1/6 Cointreau.
Shake well and strain into cocktail glass.
(Recipe by Leon, Bartender, Claridge's Hotel, Champs-Elysées, Paris.

Harry McElhone, Harry's ABC of Mixing Cocktails, 1922


CLARIDGE COCKTAIL.
1/3 Dry Gin.
1/3 French Vermouth.
1/6 Apricot Brandy.
1/6 Cointreau.
Shake well and strain into cocktail glass.

Harry Craddock, The Savoy Cocktail Book, 1930

Review

Gin for strength, vermouth for dryness and liqueur to sweeten - a balanced combination.

Variations/similar cocktails

Identical to the Frankenjack Cocktail, another classic featured in Craddock's 1930 The Savoy Cocktail Book.

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$3.71 per cocktail*

Makes a minimum of 25 cocktails.
Shipping and applicable tax calculated at checkout.


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* 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.

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Gallery

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Comments & Discussion

Robert Spain
A lovely balance between dry and fruity. I've used Hendricks, Noilly Prat, Cointreau, and home made apricot brandy.
score: 1
Stephen Broughall Premium Member
Made from the recipe in your book and then noticed the changes here online: you have decreased the gin and vermouth and increased slightly the other ingredients. I will try again with this online version, and interested in the salt added. Also, nick & nora glass change is a good idea. The book version is a bit boozy.
score: 2
Simon Difford Verified User Premium Member
Yes, much improved! This is the recipe in the 18th edition of our book.
score: 0
Stephen Broughall Premium Member
Definitely better version!
score: 1
Max Pelui
As ever one of many Diffordians without *all* the ingredients! Made one last night subbing the Apricot for home made Plum Brandy and it was indeed rather nice. But tonight a repeat, however, this time with some very pleasant Walnut liqueur I picked up in Grenoble over the summer and it makes for a rather lovely sipper for sure.
score: 1
Darren Companion
A nice light drink which initially reminded us of an Alaskan cocktail, albeit much less intense. A good addition to our go-to cocktail list!
score: 1
Cassandra Adams Premium Member
Made a variation on this with cherry brandy liqueur and blood orange gin. Probably could have dropped the cherry liqueur to 7.5 ml, but otherwise an enjoyably balanced drink.
score: 2
Leon Camfield
Nicer than I thought it would be. Dangerously close to the wash line though, carrying this up the stairs to bed was fraught with danger
score: 2
Jeremy Harrold
A fresh, fruit laced cocktail with a touch of complexity to make it not ‘just’ a simple fruit drink. Just what he intended I would suspect!
score: 1
Luca Viviani Premium Member
Having found the original 2:2:1:1 recipe on several books, I tried those proportions. While the flavour is delicious, it is indeed too sweet. I should know by now that I had better trust Simon’s adaptations! Will try again with the 3:3:1:1 ratio.
score: 3
Dommie coolvax
I keep coming back to this. I stir
score: 2
E V
Any reason this cocktail warrants shaking? With these components, a stir works fine.
score: 1
Simon Difford Verified User Premium Member
No reason other than Harry Craddock stipulating to shake. I've just tried both versions alongside each other and apart from the initial appearance (the shaken version soon clears), there is little to distinguish them. Modern bartending convention may dictate to stir but I'll continue to follow Craddock's instructions. That said, I've amended the above recipe to say shake or stir. As you say, stirring works just fine.
score: 1

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Difford’s Shop logo
$3.71 per cocktail*

Makes a minimum of 25 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.

Visit Difford’s Shop USA

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