Chrysanthemum
Stir ∙ 3 min ∙ 19.1% ABV ∙
The Chrysanthemum is a stirred, vermouth-based cocktail of dry vermouth, Bénédictine, and a touch of absinthe, served up in a coupe.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Stir all ingredients with ice: Dry vermouth 50 mlBénédictine D.O.M. liqueur 15 mlAbsinthe 4 dashes
- Fine strain into the chilled glass
- Express an orange twist over the cocktail and use as garnish
Tips
- Stir with plenty of large cubes for about 20-25 seconds; a little extra dilution softens the vermouth's edge.
- Count out four real dashes of absinthe rather than free-pouring; it should season the drink, not drown out the Bénédictine.
History
The Chrysanthemum first appeared in print in Hugo R. Ensslin's Recipes for Mixed Drinks, published in New York in 1916, one of the last major American cocktail manuals before Prohibition. Ensslin was a German-born bartender who tended bar at the Hotel Wallick in Times Square, and his original recipe called for equal parts dry vermouth and Bénédictine, seasoned with a few dashes of absinthe.
Fourteen years later the drink reappeared, revised, in Harry Craddock's 1930 Savoy Cocktail Book, which cut the sweetness by shifting to a 2:1 ratio of vermouth to Bénédictine, a proportion that became the standard most later bartenders followed. Craddock's version noted that the cocktail was well known aboard the American Bar of the SS Europa, a German ocean liner popular with Americans evading Prohibition. This Chrysanthemum recipe uses even more vermouth: 50 ml to 15 ml of Bénédictine.
FAQ
What is a Chrysanthemum cocktail?
A stirred, low-proof aperitif of dry vermouth, sweetened and spiced with Bénédictine and a few dashes of absinthe. At around 19% ABV it is lighter than most spirit-forward cocktails.
What is in a Chrysanthemum cocktail?
50 ml dry vermouth, 15 ml Bénédictine D.O.M. and four dashes of absinthe.
How do you make a Chrysanthemum drink?
Stir the dry vermouth, Bénédictine, and absinthe with ice, then fine-strain into a chilled coupe. Express an orange twist over the drink and use it as the garnish.
What does a Chrysanthemum cocktail taste like?
It tastes dry and wine-forward first, from the vermouth, then turns honeyed and herbal from the Bénédictine, with a faint licorice note from the absinthe on the finish. It is noticeably lighter and less boozy than a Martini or Manhattan, closer in weight to a glass of fortified wine.
