Cosmopolitan Cocktail (1927 recipe)
Stir ∙ 3 min ∙ 28% ABV ∙
The 1927 Cosmopolitan is a stirred blend of Scotch, Irish whiskey, vodka and Swedish Punsch with a touch of both vermouths, served over ice. Whisky warmth and grassy Swedish Punsch lead, with a whisper of sweet and dry vermouth rounding the edges into a dry, faintly bitter finish — best sipped slowly, not shaken through a party.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Stir all ingredients with ice: Blended Scotch whisky 20 mlIrish whiskey 20 mlVodka 20 mlSwedish Punsch liqueur 20 mlRosso vermouth 10 mlDry vermouth 10 ml
- Strain into the ice-filled glass (preferably over a large cube or chunk of block ice)
- Express an orange twist over the cocktail and use as garnish
Tips
- Stir for a full 30 seconds over a large cube — this build is entirely spirits and liqueur, so it needs real dilution to soften.
- Measure the four 20 ml pours precisely — the two whiskies, the vodka and the Swedish Punsch are equal here, and no one of them should dominate the glass.
- Warm the orange twist between your fingers before dropping it in — its oil lifts the Swedish Punsch's grassy note.
History
This Cosmopolitan is the earliest documented cocktail of that name, appearing in 1927 in Harry McElhone's book Barflies and Cocktails, published by his Paris bar, Harry's New York Bar. The recipe appears in the "Cocktails Round Town" chapter, written by Arthur Moss, which paired well-known Paris regulars with a signature drink; this one is attributed to the American newspaper columnist O. O. McIntyre, to whom the book itself was dedicated. The entry describes McIntyre concocting the mix along with a tongue-in-cheek line about sending the case to the League of Nations, in keeping with the book's humorous, gossipy style. This 1920s version bears no resemblance to the pink vodka-cranberry Cosmopolitan popularized decades later; sources treat the two as unrelated drinks sharing only a name, with the modern Cosmopolitan's own origin dated to the 1970s-1980s and separately disputed among several bartenders.
FAQ
What is the original Cosmopolitan recipe?
This 1927 recipe is not the pink vodka-and-cranberry Cosmopolitan most people know today; it is an older, unrelated cocktail sharing only the name. It combines blended Scotch whisky, Irish whiskey, and vodka with Swedish Punsch liqueur, plus a touch of rosso and dry vermouth, stirred and served in an old-fashioned glass with an orange twist.
What is in a Cosmopolitan (1927 recipe)?
Blended Scotch whisky, Irish whiskey, and vodka in equal measure, Swedish Punsch liqueur, and small amounts of rosso and dry vermouth, all stirred together. It is finished with an orange twist and served in an old-fashioned glass rather than the coupe or martini glass associated with the modern pink Cosmopolitan.
Is a Cosmopolitan (1927 recipe) shaken or stirred?
Stirred. With no citrus or juice in the build, stirring chills and dilutes the spirits and liqueur without adding the aeration a shake would give.
What glass is a Cosmopolitan (1927 recipe) served in?
An old-fashioned glass, garnished with an orange twist.
What is the secret to a great Cosmo like this one?
Precision with the four base spirits is the whole secret: blended Scotch, Irish whiskey, vodka, and Swedish Punsch liqueur are poured in equal measure, so any heavy hand throws off the balance. A long, thorough stir and a fresh orange twist expressed right before serving round out the rest.
