Matthew Tait

This might be of very niche interest, but since you mention the drink's origins being murky... The drink is mostly noted as coming from the 1946 Stork Club Bar Book, but it actually goes much further back. Non-alcoholic Egg Sours appear in some very early bar guides like O.H. Byron's. But as far as I can tell this version that includes brandy and Curacao dates at least from the 1888 Police Gazette bar guide. And it's very nice!

Alas, I can't help you there sorry Simon! I've also only got access to the 1917 Ensslin edition.

This is another recipe that Craddock pilfered from Hugo Ensslin (unless it's first recorded somewhere else I don't know of).

Ensslin refers to 'gin' here rather than 'dry gin' - I always wonder if that means Old Tom is meant, since in other recipes he does specify 'dry gin'. Old Tom might make more sense, leaning fully into the sweet sipper vibe.

As is, with London Dry, I find this fairly nasty...

Interestingly, it was hugely improved with some Fees orange bitters, become really quite tasty.

Any idea about the origin of this drink? I've not been able to find anything about it online. Something about it feels to me more like a modern invention rather than a vintage drink