Cosmopolitan Cocktail (1927 recipe)
Stir ∙ 3 min ∙ 25.8% ABV ∙
The Cosmopolitan Cocktail (1927 recipe) is a stirred mix of Scotch, Irish whiskey, vodka and Swedish Punsch with both vermouths, served over ice.
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
- There's no juice here, so stir a full 30 seconds; the drink needs that water to soften before it goes over the ice.
- The two whiskies, the vodka and the Swedish Punsch go in at 20 ml each; measure them, because a heavy hand on any one takes over.
History
This Cosmopolitan is the earliest documented cocktail of that name, appearing in 1927 in Harry MacElhone'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. The entry describes McIntyre concocting the mix along with a tongue-in-cheek line about the case containing the corpse being submitted 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?
The earliest Cosmopolitan in print appeared in Harry MacElhone's 1927 book Barflies and Cocktails. It is a stirred mix of two whiskies, vodka, Swedish Punsch and both vermouths, served over ice. It shares only its name with the pink vodka-and-cranberry Cosmopolitan.
What is in a Cosmopolitan (1927 recipe)?
Blended Scotch whisky, Irish whiskey, vodka and Swedish Punsch, 20 ml each, plus 10 ml each of rosso and dry vermouth.
Is a Cosmopolitan (1927 recipe) shaken or stirred?
Stirred. There is no citrus or juice in it, so stirring chills and dilutes the spirits and liqueur without the air a shake would add.
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?
Measure the four 20 ml pours exactly, since a heavy hand on any one takes over. Stir a full 30 seconds so the drink softens, and express the orange twist right before serving.
