Adonis
Stir ∙ 3 min ∙ 12.5% ABV ∙
The Adonis is a stirred, low-ABV aperitif of fino sherry and sweet vermouth with orange bitters.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Stir all ingredients with ice: Fino sherry 80 mlRosso vermouth 40 mlOrange bitters 2 dashes
- Strain into the chilled glass
- Express a lemon twist over the cocktail and use as garnish
Tips
- Stir over plenty of large cubes for 20-25 seconds and no more; with no strong spirit in it, this drink turns watery fast.
- Fino fades within days of opening, so keep the bottle in the fridge and pour it cold; stale fino makes a flat, dull Adonis.
History
The Adonis takes its name from the 1884 Broadway burlesque musical Adonis, written by William Gill, which became the first American stage production to surpass 500 performances, running 603 times at the Bijou Theatre. The earliest known print reference to the cocktail appears in the "Pearls from Billy, the Bartender" column in New York's Sun newspaper on March 27, 1887, where a bartender serves three customers an "Adonis cocktail" without knowing what it actually is. The drink's connection to the musical was later explained by Albert Stevens Crockett in his 1931 book Old Waldorf Bar Days, which associates the cocktail with the Waldorf-Astoria's bar and credits its name to the show's fame. That places the cocktail's creation between the show's original run and the 1887 print appearance, though Crockett's account is the only source for this dating.
The first published recipe under the Adonis name appeared in Jacques Straub's 1913 Manual of Mixed Drinks, built from sherry, sweet vermouth, and orange bitters.
FAQ
How do you make an Adonis cocktail?
Stir 80 ml fino sherry, 40 ml sweet (rosso) vermouth, and 2 dashes of orange bitters with ice for 20–25 seconds. Strain into a chilled coupe and express a lemon twist over the top. There is no juice or egg, so it is stirred, not shaken.
What is the alcohol content of an Adonis?
About 12.5% ABV. That is far lighter than most spirit-based cocktails, because sherry and vermouth are much lower in alcohol than gin or whiskey. It makes the Adonis a good early aperitif rather than a nightcap.
What is the best sherry for an Adonis?
Fino. Its dry, saline crispness offsets the vermouth's sweetness. A fuller amontillado gives a nuttier, richer drink, but fino keeps it light and dry. Keep the opened bottle in the fridge and use it within days, since stale fino makes a flat Adonis.
What does an Adonis taste like?
What is the difference between an Adonis and a Bamboo cocktail?
The vermouth. A Bamboo uses dry vermouth instead of sweet, so it is crisper and less sweet than the Adonis. Both are stirred, sherry-based, and low in alcohol.
