Opal
Shake ∙ 3 min ∙ 21% ABV ∙
The Opal is a gin sour made with orange juice, triple sec, and a touch of orange blossom water, shaken and served up. Frothy and bright on the tongue, with a silky citrus wash over a clean juniper backbone and a soft floral whisper trailing into a crisp, chilled finish.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Shake all ingredients with ice: London dry gin 50 mlTriple sec 15 mlOrange juice 40 mlSugar syrup 10 mlOrange blossom water 2 ml
- Fine strain into the chilled glass
- Express an orange twist over the cocktail and use as garnish
Tips
- Express the orange twist directly over the glass just before serving so the citrus oils sit on top of the drink.
- Measure the orange blossom water carefully — even a small excess turns the drink soapy rather than floral.
- Pre-chill the coupe before straining so the drink doesn't lose its chill before serving.
History
The Opal is a gin cocktail dating to the early twentieth century, built on gin, orange liqueur, orange juice, sugar, and a touch of orange flower water. Its earliest documented appearance is in Harry Craddock's Savoy Cocktail Book, published in 1930 during his tenure as head bartender at the American Bar of the Savoy Hotel in London, where the recipe calls for gin, orange juice, Cointreau-style orange liqueur, a little sugar, and orange flower water shaken together. The drink belongs to a broader family of orange-and-gin sours popular in that era, sitting alongside the similarly built Orange Blossom, though the Opal is distinguished by its addition of orange flower water for a floral perfume note. Beyond its inclusion in Craddock's book, the cocktail's earlier history is not documented, and it has persisted mainly as a Savoy-era recipe reproduced in later cocktail guides.
FAQ
What is an Opal cocktail?
The Opal is a shaken gin cocktail served up in a chilled coupe glass and finished with an expressed orange twist, coming in at about 21% ABV.
How do you make an Opal cocktail?
Pre-chill a coupe glass, then shake the gin, triple sec, orange juice, sugar syrup, and orange blossom water hard with ice. Fine-strain into the chilled glass and express an orange twist over the top to use as garnish.
What does an Opal cocktail taste like?
It tastes bright and citrus-forward, with orange juice giving sweetness and orange blossom water lending a floral lift over a clean gin base. At roughly 21% ABV it drinks light and perfumed rather than boozy.
