IBA
Casino – IBA
Shake ∙ 3 min ∙ 27.4% ABV ∙
Old Tom gin, maraschino liqueur, lemon juice, and orange bitters shaken together, the Casino is a gin sour built on a pre-Prohibition Martinez-style base. Juniper and cherry-almond sweetness open together, then fresh lemon cuts sharp through the middle before a faint bitters-spiced finish lingers.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Shake all ingredients with ice: Old Tom gin 40 mlMaraschino liqueur 10 mlLemon juice 10 mlOrange bitters 2 dashes
- Strain into the chilled rocks glass with ice
- Garnish with a lemon twist and a maraschino cherry
Tips
- Shake hard for 12-15 seconds with plenty of ice to fully dilute this spirit-forward mix, since the small juice ratio needs extra water to soften the gin.
- Use fresh lemon juice squeezed just before shaking; the 10 ml pour is small, so bottled juice's dull acidity noticeably throws off the balance.
- Fine-strain into an old-fashioned glass over a single large ice cube to keep the drink cold without over-diluting during sipping.
- Express the lemon twist's oils over the surface before dropping it in, then add the maraschino cherry so both garnishes read on the nose.
History
The Casino is a gin, maraschino liqueur, lemon juice, and orange bitters cocktail long credited to Hugo Ensslin, who published a recipe for it in his 1916 book Recipes for Mixed Drinks while head bartender at New York's Hotel Wallick. Research has since traced an earlier printed version to 1909, in Jacob A. Didier's The Reminder, a pocket bartender's guide, making that the currently earliest documented appearance, though some accounts note copies of an even earlier edition of Didier's book may have circulated years before. Didier's original guide gave no background on the drink or its name, so why it was called Casino, and whether it refers to a specific gambling house or dance hall of the era, is not established. The recipe is essentially the same base as the Aviation cocktail with the crème de violette omitted and orange bitters and extra lemon juice added instead, and it was carried forward largely unchanged when Harry Craddock reprinted it in The Savoy Cocktail Book in 1930. A later variation, published by David Embury in 1948, replaced the orange bitters with orange juice.
FAQ
What is an IBA cocktail?
An IBA cocktail is one listed in the International Bartenders Association's official cocktail list, a curated set of recipes recognized as world standards for bartending competitions and training. The list is organized into categories such as Unforgettables and Contemporary Classics, and the Casino appears among its recognized recipes.
What's in a Casino cocktail?
Old Tom gin, maraschino liqueur, fresh lemon juice, and orange bitters, shaken and strained into a chilled glass. It is garnished with a lemon twist and a maraschino cherry.
What does a Casino cocktail taste like?
It is gin-forward and bittersweet, leading with juniper and Old Tom's rounder sweetness, then cherry-almond notes from the maraschino before fresh lemon sharpens the finish. At roughly 27% ABV it drinks stronger and drier than a classic Martinez, with the orange bitters adding a light spiced edge rather than sweetness.
Is a Casino cocktail shaken or stirred?
Shaken. The lemon juice needs the aeration and quick chill of a shake, which also softens the maraschino's sweetness into the mix rather than leaving it sitting on top.
What glass is a Casino cocktail served in?
An old-fashioned glass, garnished with a lemon twist and a maraschino cherry.
What's the best brand of maraschino liqueur?
Luxardo is the most widely used and recommended maraschino liqueur among bartenders, prized for its dry, cherry-pit character rather than syrupy sweetness. It is the standard choice for balancing a gin sour like the Casino without overwhelming it with sugar.
