Log in Join & Subscribe Premium

The Atty Cocktail

Difford’s Guide
Discerning Drinkers (47)
The Atty Cocktail image
Measurements in:
Serves:
1
Ingredients
2 fl oz Hayman's London Dry Gin
2⁄3 fl oz Strucchi Dry Vermouth
1⁄24 fl oz Rothman & Winter Crème de Violette Liqueur
1⁄24 fl oz La Fée Parisienne absinthe

Read about cocktail measures and measuring

Difford’s Guide remains free-to-use thanks to the support of the brands in green above.

How to make

Glass

Photographed in an UB Retro Coupe 1910

Prepare

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

Method

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

Garnish

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

Flavour Profile

No alcohol
Medium
Boozy
Sweet
Medium
Dry/sour
More cocktails with similar strength and taste profile

Health & Nutrition

Nutrition:

One serving of The Atty Cocktail contains 163 calories

Alcohol content:

  • 1.7 standard drinks
  • 28.08% alc./vol. (56.16° proof)
  • 23.2 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.

History

Adapted from a recipe in Harry Craddock's 1930 The Savoy Cocktail Book.

ATTY COCKTAIL
¼ French Vermouth.
3 Dashes Absinthe.
¾ Gin.
3 Dashes Crème de Violette.
Shake well and strain into cocktail glass.

Harry Craddock, 1930



Many of the recipes in Craddock's 1930 book are borrowed from Hugo-R-Ensslin's 1917 Recipes For Mixed Drinks (the last major pre-Prohibition cocktail book) and, while there is no Atty cocktail, there is a cocktail called "Attention" in Ensslin's book which shares the same ingredients, listed in the same order, as the Atty but in misbalanced (equal parts) proportions:

ATTENTION COCKTAIL
¼ French vermouth
¼ Absinthe
¼ Gin
¼ Crème de Violette
Shake well in a mixing glass with cracked ice, strain and serve.

Hugo R. Ensslin, 1917


Due to the similarities, many have concluded that Ensslin's Attention inspired Craddock's rather better, perhaps abbreviated, Atty cocktail.

More cocktails by Harry Craddock

Review

My recipe remains pretty faithful to Craddock's classic 1930s proportions, but in line with modern bartending conventions, I now disregard Craddock's instructions and stir rather than shake this cocktail. However, arguably, shaking yields an even more delicious cocktail, and if you decide to shake, consider doubling the measures of both crème de violette and absinthe. Shaken or stirred, this Martini-style cocktail is dry and aromatic with subtle floral and aniseed notes.

Difford’s Shop logo
$2.93 per cocktail*

Makes a minimum of 12.5 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.

Visit Difford’s Shop USA

Gallery

Comments & Discussion

Anna Thompson
Delicious. On second try I doubled the violettes but not the absinthe - the absinthe is so overpowering that it’s more balanced (to my taste) that way.
score: 5
David Teager
I’m surprised there isn’t a named martini variation with equal parts vermouth and violette (but no absinthe). Basically a perfect 3:1 martini but with cdv in place of sweet vermouth. I’m drinking one now and it’s delicious. (I also added some rosemary-lavender bitters).
score: 0
Peter Shaw Premium Member
If you already have a 3:1 gin/vermouth combo in the freezer ready to go for your instant martini, then this is a nice twist and, as Simon said, double the creme de violette (and maybe the absinthe) for the shaken version and then it has a distinct violet hue (unlike that photo Simon?)
score: 1
Simon Difford Verified User Premium Member
Photo is of the 1.25ml stirred version.
score: 0
John Hinojos Premium Member
Following Jacqueline Kirk's, we first tried as written and then upped the Creme de Violette by another 3 dashes. It enhanced the flavour of the overall cocktail for us and seemed to make the taste a bit more tame.
score: 2
Brian Arthur
Even though this cocktail works out well, I have a feeling that the "3 Dashes Crème de Violette" is a typesetting error, and that line should have been in the next cocktail in the book, the Aviation, from whence it is missing.
score: 4
Simon Difford Verified User Premium Member
The above 3 dashes creme de violette are correct. We have two versions of the Aviation, one with The Savoy spec (which as per the book omits creme de violette) and my own version which does include creme de violette.
score: 0
Brian Arthur
Sorry, I think you misunderstand me. The typo is not here in your guide, but in Craddock's 1930 Savoy Cocktail Book. Ensslin's Recipes for Mixed Drinks has the Crème de Violette in the Aviation, and the Savoy plagiarizes heavily from Ensslin's book.
score: 1
Jamie Diller
Hi, just guessing here - but did it used to be 1/4 ounce and was upped to 1/2 oz for the liqueur and absinthe? I was a bit caught off by the 1/24 oz....
score: 1
Simon Difford Verified User Premium Member
Hi Jamie. 1/24oz is 1.25ml or 1/4 of a barspoon. This is the smallest measure on our Easy Jigger shown in both oz and ml.
score: 0
Jamie Diller
Got it! Thank you.
score: 0
David Stollings
This is definitely a cocktail that suffers because I need to up my vermouth game. I like the concept, but when I make it with my cheap extra dry it doesn't quite work.
score: 1
JACQUELINE KIRK
An excellent dry violette cocktail, this one will be in my regular rotation now for sure. I even added a touch more violette but I'm crazy about it.
score: 3
Anthony S
Another fantastic Absinthe cocktail that would do well with a little less absinthe (and a bit more violette if you want the same color in the photo).
score: 3
Simon Difford Verified User Premium Member
Agreed! I've updated this recipe accordingly [27/Dec/20] and I will remake for Dan to reshoot ASAP. Thanks for bringing this to my attention.
score: 2
Peter Shaw Premium Member
I'm with you Anthony!
score: 1

View 9 comments and discussion

See more...

Aperitivo/aperitif Cocktails

Aperitivo/aperitif Cocktails image

Palate-cleansing, pre-dinner cocktails, often bittersweet and moderately alcoholic.

View more

Classic/vintage Cocktails

Classic/vintage Cocktails image

Classic cocktails are found in vintage recipe books from the mid-1800s to the 1980s.

View more

Floral (e.g. Elderflower spritz) Cocktails

Floral (e.g. Elderflower spritz) Cocktails image

Liqueurs with floral flavours such as camomile, elderflower, rose and violet.

View more

Martini-style Cocktails

Martini-style Cocktails image

Spirit-forward and usually gin or vodka based with vermouth or another fortified wine, often with dashes of bitters.

View more
Difford’s Shop logo
$2.93 per cocktail*

Makes a minimum of 12.5 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.

Visit Difford’s Shop USA

Deijī

Deijī Image

A Japanese-inspired Daisy (Deijī means "daisy" in Japanese) based on sake with yuzu curaçao liqueur.

View more

White Baby

White Baby Image

A gin-forward White Lady with lime in place of lemon juice.

View more

Veritas

Veritas Image

A gin margarita with a sunken blackcurrant treat.

View more

Holland House (Genever-based)

Holland House (Genever-based) Image

Genever adds its own complexity to this version of the classic Holland House. The sugar syrup is my 'optional' addition, but for me it's essential.

View more

Count Tawny of Negroni

Count Tawny of Negroni Image

While gin might lead this Negroni, port wine rounds and sets it apart from less noble Negronis.

View more

Naked in the Desert

Naked in the Desert Image

A delicious sotol-charged variation on Joaquín Simó's Naked and Famous.

View more