Astor

Difford’s Guide
Discerning Drinkers (5 ratings)

Serve in a Coupe glass

Ingredients:
1 14 oz Hayman's London Dry Gin
1 oz Swedish Punsch liqueur
14 oz Lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
14 oz Orange juice (freshly squeezed)
× 1 1 serving
Read about cocktail measures and measuring

How to make:

  1. Select and pre-chill a Coupe glass.
  2. Prepare garnish of lemon zest twist.
  3. SHAKE all ingredients with ice.
  4. FINE STRAIN into chilled glass.
  5. EXPRESS lemon zest twist over the cocktail and use as garnish.

Strength & taste guide:

No alcohol
Medium
Boozy
Strength 8/10
Sweet
Medium
Dry/sour
Sweet to sour 6/10

Review:

Citrus and the tang of Swedish punch add a distinctive flavour to gin in this tasty vintage cocktail.

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History:

Recipe adapted from Albert Stevens Crockett's 1931 The Old Waldorf-Astoria Bar Book where the recipe is accompanied by a notation as to who or what this cocktail is named after, citing "John Jacob" or "William Waldorf", both members of the Astor family, a wealthy American family whose fortune originated in the fur trade and became centred on New York City real estate investments.

John Jacob Astor IV (1864-1912) was the real estate magnate who built New York's Astoria Hotel, "the world's most luxurious hotel" and died as the richest passenger when the RMS Titanic sunk.

William Waldorf "Willy" Astor, 1st Viscount Astor (1848-1919) was John Jacob's cousin and rival who built the original Waldorf Hotel next door to his cousin's hotel. The combined complex became known as the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel.

ASTOR
Perhaps after John Jacob of that name; perhaps after William Waldorf, his cousin; however, chances are, it was originated either at the old Astor House or the Astor Hotel, and took its name from its bar of nativity.
One dash of Lemon Juice
Pone dash of Orange Juice
One jigger of Gin
One jigger of Swedish Punsch

Albert Stevens Crockett, 1931

Nutrition:

One serving of Astor contains 157 calories

Alcohol content:

  • 1.2 standard drinks
  • 20.72% alc./vol. (20.72° proof)
  • 17.1 grams of pure alcohol

Difford’s Guide remains free-to-use thanks to the support of the brands in green above. Values stated for alcohol and calorie content, and number of drinks an ingredient makes should be considered approximate.

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19th October 2021 at 02:04
The orange makes all the difference - I tried it once with just lemon, and again later following the recipe more closely, and the citrus mix was far nicer and more flavorful than the one with just lemon.
Simon Difford’s Avatar Simon Difford
19th October 2021 at 12:00
Agreed! I've just tried to be sure as the original recipe states "Pone dash of Orange Juice" meaning small or tiny, but I have an equal-sized dash to the lemon. Perhaps 10ml lemon and 5ml or less orange?
James Brooke’s Avatar James Brooke
28th November 2020 at 18:25
Thanks for the advice regarding falernum.
Is Swedish Punsch closer to Pimento dram?
Simon Difford’s Avatar Simon Difford
2nd December 2020 at 13:52
The flavour profile is Pimento dram is very different to Swedish punch.
James Brooke’s Avatar James Brooke
28th November 2020 at 13:58
Hmmm, I don't have Swedish Punsch and I was wondering if I could use Velvet Falernum instead?
Simon Difford’s Avatar Simon Difford
28th November 2020 at 17:22
Swedish Punch and Falernum have very different flavour profiles but Falernum may produce a tasty drink. I'd cut measure at least in half though.