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The Frank

Difford’s Guide
Discerning Drinkers (97)
The Frank image
Measurements in:
Serves:
1
Ingredients
1⁄2 fl oz Del Maguey Vida Clásico Mezcal
1⁄2 fl oz Blanco tequila
1⁄2 fl oz Italian red bitter liqueur
1⁄2 fl oz Amaro Montenegro
1⁄2 fl oz Strucchi Dry Vermouth
1⁄2 fl oz Strucchi Rosso Vermouth

Read about cocktail measures and measuring

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How to make

Glass

Photographed in an UB Retro Coupe Gold 7.75oz

Prepare

  1. Select and pre-chill a COUPE GLASS.
  2. Prepare garnish of quarter orange slice wheel on rim.

Method

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

Garnish

  1. Garnish with quarter orange slice on rim.

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 Frank contains 180 calories

Alcohol content:

  • 1.4 standard drinks
  • 21.52% alc./vol. (43.04° proof)
  • 19.4 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 2020 recipe created by the folk at Maybe Sammy in Sydney, Australia. The folk at Maybe Sammy pre-batch this cocktail but their recipe for a single-serve is more in line with the following proportions:
12.5 ml Mezcal
12.5 ml Blanco tequila
25 ml Campari
5 ml Amaro Montenegro
12.5 ml Dry vermouth
12.5 ml Sweet vermouth

Review

My equal parts riff on one of Sydney's Maybe Sammy's best-known house cocktails. It is a tad mellower yet retains the drink's bittersweet agave laced aperitivo character.

Cocktail of the day:

4th December 2026 is Cabernet Franc Day

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$3.46 per cocktail*

Makes a minimum of 25 cocktails.
Shipping and applicable tax calculated at checkout.


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Gallery

Comments & Discussion

Johan Alexandersson
My new favourite! Great example of a drink where the various ingredients make a better totality than any one on their own. Just the right strength, (I stirred 25 secs on large ice cubes) just the right sweetness for a great attack and just the right bitterness to want more. A negroni with six ingredients instead of three. :-D
score: 1
Justin Aniello
Smoky with a nice dark fruit and orange backbone from the vermouths and amaros. Nicely balanced for the flavors, smokiness, and bitterness.
score: 2
Ruth Harvey
A polarising cocktail in our house...I loved it. Had to make a Bourbon Alexander for Mr. H so he could get over the shock of me trying to feed him Campari!
score: 2
Stephen C
Perfectly satisfactory. But as many have said, for this many ingredients I expected more layers. Check out mane of needles or autumn negroni for standouts in this type.
score: 1
Simon Sedgley Premium Member
To us this lacked depth. So we added Rittenhouse Rye; first just 5ml and then 10ml. We think 5ml is enough. Makes it a different, slightly more fussy, drink and upsets the harmony of the proportions of the original recipe. But it worked better for us. You decide.
score: 1
Daniel Jones
I've tried this once and didn't enjoy it as much as I'd hoped, but just tried it with Chichicapa Mezcal & Ocho plata Tequila and it was better the second time. Next time I'll change the ratios to 2/3 Mezcal, 2/3 Blanco Tequila, 1 bar spoon Campari, 1/3 Amaro Montenegro, 3/4oz Sweet V, & 1/2oz Dry V.
score: 1
Yorey C
MiMamaMeDijo | Los Cabos | Pergote | Rivata ... not bad, mezcal and amaro seem to stand out a lot, satisfactorily bitter, doesnt blow my mind though
score: 1
G. M. Genovese Premium Member
It's like chocolate cherry cordial with a hybrid mezcal/rhum thing. I subbed Cardamaro for the Montenegro... Tried it again with the original specs. Bitter-er, and more to my taste, but it lost the cordial sweets. (27 Jan 2024, 5:23p)
score: 1
John Hinojos Premium Member
What a great aperitif. We are having Mexican food for dinner and was looking for a aperitif which would pair with the theme. This was perfect.
The smoky of the mezcal comes through nicely. The herbal and bitter flavours enhance the full cocktail.
score: 2
Andy Parnell-Hopkinson
Pleasant but perplexing. At my first attempt I accidentally omitted the Campari, but the prescribed formula wasn't dramatically different. Maybe less would be more...
score: 1

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Difford’s Shop logo
$3.46 per cocktail*

Makes a minimum of 25 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

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