Forum

Now with the confidence to try with orange-sugar rim. If you have time it’s definitely worth the faff and adds an extra dimension of both theatricality and sensory input - I left my sugar a little crystalline and it was almost like popping Candy. The drink itself with Hennessy vsop was surprisingly rich and mellow, freshened by the lemon twist. A genuine retro-vintage show stopper! Superb.

Enjoyed this but I too am thinking simple syrup in lieu of skip the sugar rim. If I understand correctly, a Blanc kina / Lillet mix is Difford's go to Kina Lillet substitute so I replaced this with Sacred English Amber Vermouth touted by some to be "equivalent" to Kina Lillet. Thoughts?

Followed GMG’s lead and short cut the sugar rim process - added 3.75ml rich syrup, 25ml Cocchi Americano, both lemon and orange twists.

Sidecar vibes all around... A dry version I never knew existed or thought was possible... I used Cocchi Americano in place of the combined measure of kina/Lillet... I may have added 2.5 ml of cane syrup in place of the sugared rim... Excellent.

A better sidecar. Moved even further away from Craddock's equal-parts recipe and upped the cognac (ABK6 VSOP) a bit more to 1.25 oz, used Cointreau and Kina L'Aero d'Or, Lillet Blanc. Garnished with a big lemon zest. Didn't sugar the rim, though that probably makes it even better. Truly excellent cocktail, only challenge is figuring out which name it should receive!

I liked it.

Craddock's 1930 Savoy book also includes the "HOOP LA!" Cocktail and the Odd McIntyre Cocktail, both of them seemingly identical to the Frank Sullivan Cocktail of the same book.