Arnaud
Stir ∙ 3 min ∙ 24.1% ABV ∙
The Arnaud is an equal-parts stirred cocktail of London dry gin, dry vermouth, and crème de cassis, served up in a coupe. Juniper and dry wine notes lead, then a wave of dark berry sweetness rounds the middle before a crisp, faintly tart finish — a compact aperitif for a slow evening.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Stir all ingredients with ice: London dry gin 30 mlDry vermouth 30 mlCrème de Cassis 30 ml
- Fine strain into the chilled glass
- Garnish with a blackberry
Tips
- Measure the crème de cassis precisely — at an equal 30 ml it is by far the sweetest part of the build, and a heavy pour turns the drink cloying.
- Chill the coupe in the freezer beforehand since the equal-parts stir yields a lower-proof drink that warms quickly without a pre-frozen glass.
- Skewer one blackberry and rest it on the rim rather than dropping it in, keeping the dark cassis-tinted liquid clear and visible in the coupe.
History
This gin, dry vermouth, and crème de cassis cocktail first appeared in print as the Parisian in Booth's Gin's 1955 promotional booklet, An Anthology of Cocktails, which paired a signature drink with a notable celebrity of the day. The recipe accompanying it was dedicated to Yvonne Arnaud, a French-born pianist, singer, and stage and film actress who had become a star of the London West End, appearing at theaters including the Adelphi and the Shaftesbury before moving into film. Although the booklet labeled the drink the Parisian, it became commonly known instead by her surname, and the Arnaud name has stuck ever since. It is a distinct drink from the similarly named Arnaud's Special, a Scotch and Dubonnet cocktail associated with Arnaud's restaurant in New Orleans.
