Algonquin Special
A berry and balanced fortified wine cocktail ∙ Stir ∙ 3 min ∙ 14.8% ABV ∙
The Algonquin Special is a fortified-wine aperitif of tawny port and Fino sherry stirred with orange bitters and served up in a coupe.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Stir all ingredients with ice: Tawny port 45 mlFino sherry 25 mlOrange bitters 1 dash
- Fine strain into the chilled glass
- Express an orange twist over the cocktail and use as garnish
History
The Algonquin Special was first published in 1941 in Crosby Gaige's Cocktail Guide and Ladies' Companion, a two-ingredient combination of dry sherry and tawny port credited to the Algonquin Hotel in New York. The book's account frames the drink as a recipe supplied by Frank Case, the hotel's longtime owner and manager, in answer to Gaige's request. The account describes it as a favorite aperitif served at the hotel's bar and offers alternate names such as Continental or Bodega for those who preferred not to use "Algonquin." This Algonquin Special recipe adds a dash of orange bitters to the sherry and port.
It arrived roughly six years after the original Algonquin cocktail, first recorded in 1935, a rye, vermouth, and pineapple juice drink tied to the same hotel and its Round Table circle of writers. The Special is a separate recipe rather than a variation on that earlier drink.
FAQ
What is in an Algonquin Special?
45 ml tawny port, 25 ml Fino sherry and a dash of orange bitters, stirred and strained up. It is a wine-based aperitif, lighter than a spirit-forward cocktail and meant for sipping before a meal.
Is an Algonquin Special shaken or stirred?
Stirred. Both the port and sherry are already still, clear wines, so stirring chills and lightly dilutes them without the cloudiness a shake would add.
What glass is an Algonquin Special served in?
A coupe glass, served up with an orange twist expressed over the top for its citrus oils.
How strong is an Algonquin Special?
It comes in at about 14.8% ABV, close to the fortified wines that make it up and considerably lighter than a spirit-based cocktail such as a Martini or Manhattan.
