Classic Cocktail
Shake ∙ 3 min ∙ 21.9% ABV ∙
The Classic Cocktail is a shaken sour of cognac, maraschino liqueur, orange curaçao and fresh lemon juice, served up in a coupe with a lemon twist.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Shake all ingredients with ice: Cognac 45 mlMaraschino liqueur 15 mlOrange curaçao liqueur 15 mlLemon juice 15 ml
- Fine strain into the chilled glass
- Garnish with a lemon twist
Tips
- Shake hard with cracked ice for a full 15 seconds; with two liqueurs in it, the drink needs that much water or it tastes thick and sweet.
- Keep the maraschino and curaçao at 15 ml each; pour them heavy and their sweetness smothers the cognac.
History
The Classic Cocktail was published by Harry Craddock, head bartender of the American Bar at London's Savoy Hotel, in his 1930 Savoy Cocktail Book. His recipe called for brandy, lemon juice, curaçao, and maraschino liqueur, shaken and strained into a cocktail glass with a sugar-frosted rim.
The combination echoes the Brandy Crusta, a sugar-rimmed brandy, lemon, curaçao, and maraschino drink created in New Orleans in the 1850s by bartender Joseph Santini. The Savoy recipe drops the crusta's bitters and simplifies its presentation while keeping the same core spirit-and-liqueur combination.
FAQ
What is in a Classic Cocktail?
45 ml cognac, 15 ml maraschino liqueur, 15 ml orange curaçao, and 15 ml fresh lemon juice. It comes in at about 22% ABV and 191 calories per serving.
Is a Classic Cocktail shaken or stirred?
Shaken. The lemon juice needs a hard shake, and with two liqueurs in it the drink needs the extra water a shake adds, or it tastes thick and sweet.
What glass is a Classic Cocktail served in?
A chilled coupe, served up with no ice and garnished with a lemon twist.
