Hanky Panky
Stir ∙ 3 min ∙ 27.6% ABV ∙
The Hanky Panky is a stirred gin cocktail of equal parts London dry gin and sweet vermouth with a touch of Fernet Branca, finished with an orange twist. Silky and cold on the tongue, with a bittersweet herbal snap that lingers through a dry, bracing finish.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Stir all ingredients with ice: London dry gin 45 mlRosso vermouth 45 mlFernet Branca liqueur 8 ml
- Strain into the chilled cocktail glass
- Garnish with an orange twist
Tips
- Pre-chill the glass before straining — the drink is fully stirred with no ice in the glass, so it warms fast without a cold vessel.
- Express the orange twist over the surface before dropping it in, releasing the citrus oils that lift the aroma.
- Measure the Fernet Branca carefully; even a small overpour will push the bitterness past the gin and vermouth balance.
History
The Hanky Panky was created by Ada "Coley" Coleman, head bartender of the American Bar at London's Savoy Hotel, where she took charge in 1903 and served until 1926. Coleman said she developed the drink after the actor Sir Charles Hawtrey, a regular at the bar, asked her for something with "a bit of punch in it," and spent hours experimenting before serving him a mix of gin, sweet vermouth, and Fernet-Branca. Tasting it, Hawtrey reportedly exclaimed "By Jove! That is the real hanky-panky!," and the name stuck, using a period slang term for trickery or magic rather than its later racier meaning.
Coleman recounted the story to a London newspaper in 1925, shortly before her retirement. Some accounts place the drink's creation around 1921, the same year Hawtrey was producing and starring in a Savoy Theatre farce called Hanky Panky John, which may have been on his mind when he coined the exclamation; most other accounts simply date the drink to the early 1900s.
The recipe was first published in Harry Craddock's The Savoy Cocktail Book (1930), though whether Craddock's original text explicitly credited Coleman by name is disputed. The drink is considered a variation on the sweet martini, made distinctive by the addition of Fernet-Branca, a bitter Italian digestivo not previously common behind British bars.
FAQ
What is in a Hanky Panky cocktail?
A Hanky Panky is made of equal parts London dry gin and Rosso vermouth with a small amount of Fernet Branca, stirred with ice and garnished with an orange twist. The Fernet Branca is what gives it a distinct bitter, herbal edge over a standard gin and vermouth stir.
How do you make a Hanky Panky drink?
Pre-chill a cocktail glass, then stir the gin, vermouth, and Fernet Branca with ice until well-diluted and cold. Strain into the chilled glass and garnish with an orange twist expressed over the top.
Is a Hanky Panky shaken or stirred?
Stirred. All three ingredients go into ice together and are stirred until properly chilled and diluted, then strained up; shaking would add unwanted aeration and cloud a drink meant to look clear and glossy.
What kind of gin is best for a Hanky Panky?
A London dry gin is the standard choice, since its juniper-forward, dry character stands up to the sweet vermouth and Fernet Branca without getting lost. A softer or more floral gin style tends to fade against the Fernet's intensity.
What makes a Hanky Panky unique?
The small addition of Fernet Branca is what sets it apart from a simple gin and sweet vermouth stir, giving it a minty, bitter backbone rather than straightforward sweetness. It drinks strong, at about 27.6% ABV, with a dry, lingering finish.
