Diplomat
Stir ∙ 3 min ∙ 13.9% ABV ∙
The Diplomat is a low-alcohol stirred aperitif of two parts dry vermouth to one part sweet, with a touch of maraschino liqueur and orange bitters.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Stir all ingredients with ice: Dry vermouth 60 mlRosso vermouth 30 mlMaraschino liqueur 5 mlOrange bitters 1 dash
- Fine strain into the chilled glass
- Express an orange twist over the cocktail and discard
- Garnish with a maraschino cherry on a skewer
Tips
- This drink is nearly all vermouth and low in alcohol, so it waters down fast; stir with plenty of large cubes for about 30 seconds and don't shake it.
- The maraschino is only 5 ml; pour with a heavy hand and it drowns out the two vermouths.
History
The Diplomat's earliest documented appearance is in Belgian bartender Robert Vermeire's 1922 book Cocktails: How to Mix Them, where it was spelled "Diplomate." Vermeire, who tended bar in London at the Royal Automobile Club, the Criterion, and the Embassy Club, noted that the drink was well known in the French Diplomatic Service, which is the likely source of its name.
The cocktail later gained wider circulation after appearing in Harry Craddock's 1930 Savoy Cocktail Book and Patrick Gavin Duffy's 1934 Official Mixer's Manual, cementing it as a low-alcohol, vermouth-forward aperitif.
