Bamboo Cocktail (1908 recipe)
Stir ∙ 3 min ∙ 13.9% ABV ∙
The Bamboo is a stirred aperitif of equal-parts dry vermouth and fino sherry with orange and aromatic bitters, served up in a coupe. Dry and nutty with a saline edge from the sherry, vermouth herbs threading through, and a bittersweet finish suited to an aperitif hour.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Stir all ingredients with ice: Dry vermouth 45 mlFino sherry 45 mlOrange bitters 2 dashesAngostura aromatic bitters 1 dash
- Fine strain into the chilled glass
- Express a lemon twist over the cocktail and use as garnish
- Garnish with olives
Tips
- Stir the equal-parts vermouth and sherry with ice for a full 30 seconds; this low-ABV build needs proper dilution and chilling since there's no spirit base to mask a warm, underdiluted pour.
- Use a fresh, recently opened bottle of fino sherry and keep it refrigerated between uses, since fino oxidizes fast and turns flat within a week or two once opened.
- Express a lemon twist over the drink's surface and drop it in rather than garnishing with only an olive, so the citrus oils balance the wine-forward, nutty sherry.
- Chill the coupe glass beforehand and strain into it immediately after stirring so the delicate 13.9% ABV mix doesn't warm up before serving.
History
The Bamboo Cocktail (1908 recipe) is a variation of the Bamboo, a drink built from equal parts sherry and vermouth rather than spirits, generally credited to Louis Eppinger, a German-American bartender who managed the Grand Hotel in Yokohama, Japan, in the late 19th century. Eppinger is widely cited as having created the drink there, and it entered American bartending guides in the early 20th century as bartenders returning from the Pacific brought the recipe home. The 1908 version reflects an early American printed adaptation of Eppinger's original sherry-and-vermouth formula, codifying it for a wider audience rather than changing the drink's basic character.
FAQ
What is in a Bamboo Cocktail?
Equal parts dry vermouth and fino sherry, stirred with orange bitters and a dash of aromatic bitters, then strained into a chilled glass. It is garnished with a lemon twist or an olive.
Is a Bamboo Cocktail shaken or stirred?
Stirred. Both base ingredients are already clear and wine-based, so stirring chills and lightly dilutes the drink without clouding it, unlike a shake.
What glass is a Bamboo Cocktail served in?
A coupe glass, served up with no ice in the glass itself.
How strong is a Bamboo Cocktail?
Is a Bamboo Cocktail vegan?
Yes, it is vegan, vegetarian, and lactose-free, since it is built entirely from dry vermouth, fino sherry, and bitters with no animal-derived ingredients.
