Name: Arsenic and Old Lace
Total time: 3 min
Cuisine: Cocktail
Ingredients: 60 ml Gin; 15 ml Bianco/blanco vermouth; 15 ml Dry vermouth; 10 ml Chilled water; 2.5 ml Crème de violette; 2.5 ml Absinthe

Stephen Broughall Premium Member 3w

Solid addition to a martini repertoire. I made for two, scaling proportions at 1.5 which went over well. Next time will just do a very light rinse or mist with the absinthe so as not to overpower the creme de violette. A dash of orange bitters also works.

Sally Glover 2w

I agree - the absinthe is a touch too powerful. I would reduce it a smidge (technical term) and slightly increase the crème de violette.

Cassandra Adams Premium Member 4w

I thought this a delicious combination of floral, herbal and even salty elements; my partner thought it very odd, particularly the combination of the more "muscular" elements of the martini with the violet.

James Shannon 4w

Very nice! However, next batch I'm substituting Elderflower liquor for the Creme de Viotette, since elderberry was of course the preferred method of dispatch employed by the Brewster ladies. With luck, we won't end up in the Panama Canal. Charge!!!!

Grant Youngblood 4w

What a beautiful coupe in the pictures! Can you tell us where we can purchase those? My husband prefers smaller cocktails (he’s a light-weight), especially in a beautiful Nick-and-Nora type of glass.
Thanks!

Simon Difford Verified User Premium Member 4w

It's a vintage glass from my collection. Keep a look out in antique shops.

Nick Badovinac 1y

Is the amount of creme de violette perhaps a typo? Should probably be 1/2 oz, not 1/12, I think.

Simon Difford Verified User Premium Member 1y

1/12 oz is correct and is equal to 2.5ml (approx. 1/4 a barspoon). Metric measures are more straightforward. Please click on "measures & measuring" under the recipe above for more info.

Jason Herbert 49w

For those in the USA, 1/12 oz equals half a teaspoon.

David Teager 3y

Is the Gaige citation correct? The recipe is quite different in proportions.

John Hinojos Premium Member 5y

Did take one of Nanda Sandhu's recommendations and did an additional spray of absinthe on the top. It did get rid a little of the violet floral taste, with it remaining in the background.

Nanda Sandhu 5y

I've been making these with a variation with a spray of orange bitters and a spray of absinthe at the end.

Peter Shaw Premium Member 5y

Particularly if you are making a mini-version (half quantities) be very careful with the absinthe and creme de violette quantities, as this is critical to the balance of this flavoursome cocktail

2 fl oz	Hayman's London Dry Gin
¹⁄₂ fl oz	Strucchi Bianco Vermouth (chilled)
¹⁄₂ fl oz	Strucchi Dry Vermouth (chilled)
¹⁄₃ fl oz	Chilled water/mineral water
¹⁄₁₂ fl oz	Rothman & Winter Crème de Violette Liqueur
¹⁄₁₂ fl oz	La Fée Parisienne absinthe

Arsenic & Old Lace

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