Alaska
Stir ∙ 3 min ∙ 34.3% ABV ∙
The Alaska is a stirred gin cocktail made with Old Tom gin, an herbal liqueur such as Yellow Chartreuse, and orange bitters, served up in a coupe.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Express the oils of a coin-size Orange zest 1 pc into the base of the mixing glass
- Add the remaining ingredients: Old Tom gin 50 mlHerbal liqueur (e.g., Yellow Chartreuse) 15 mlOrange bitters 2 dashesSaline solution 1 dashAbsinthe 1 dash
- Stir with ice
- Strain into the chilled glass
- Express an orange twist over the cocktail and use as garnish
Tips
- There's no juice here to soften the spirits, so stir with large cubes for 20–25 seconds, until the mixing glass feels ice-cold.
- Keep the Chartreuse to 15 ml against 50 ml of gin; it's potent enough to take over the drink if you pour heavy.
- The absinthe and saline go into the mixing glass as a single dash each, along with everything else, not as a rinse.
History
The Alaska is a pre-Prohibition gin cocktail first documented in Jacques Straub's 1914 book Drinks (some sources cite Straub's 1913 Manual of Mixed Drinks), where it combined Old Tom gin with yellow Chartreuse and orange bitters. Its name is generally thought to reference the Klondike Gold Rush, a nod to the drink's golden hue from the Chartreuse rather than to any Arctic connection, though this naming link is presented by sources as conjecture rather than settled fact.
The cocktail was later included in Harry Craddock's 1930 Savoy Cocktail Book, which helped cement it as a Martini variation built around yellow Chartreuse. This Alaska recipe adds a dash of absinthe to the classic gin-and-Chartreuse formula, a modern tweak seen in later recipes for the drink that layers in an anise-forward accent absent from the original Straub build.
FAQ
What is an Alaska cocktail?
A pre-Prohibition stirred gin cocktail: Old Tom gin and an herbal liqueur such as Yellow Chartreuse, seasoned with orange bitters and a dash of absinthe. The name is usually linked to the Klondike Gold Rush and the drink's golden color, though that link is conjecture.
What are the ingredients in an Alaska cocktail?
Old Tom gin, an herbal liqueur such as Yellow Chartreuse, orange bitters, and a dash each of saline solution and absinthe. Orange oils are expressed into the mixing glass, and an orange twist finishes it.
How do you make Alaska?
Express the oils of a coin-size piece of orange zest into the mixing glass. Add 50 ml Old Tom gin, 15 ml herbal liqueur, 2 dashes of orange bitters and a dash each of saline and absinthe. Stir with large cubes for 20–25 seconds, strain into a chilled coupe, and express an orange twist over the top.
Is an Alaska cocktail shaken or stirred?
Stirred. There is no citrus juice or egg white to aerate, so stirring keeps the drink clear and properly diluted rather than clouded.
What glass is an Alaska cocktail served in?
A chilled coupe, served up with no ice and an orange twist.
