Rolls Royce
Stir ∙ 3 min ∙ 28.5% ABV ∙
The Rolls Royce is a perfect Martini variation of London dry gin, dry and sweet vermouth, and a dash of Bénédictine, stirred and served up. Crisp juniper leads into a doubled vermouth backbone, with honey and baking spice from the Bénédictine and a bitters edge — a composed pre-dinner sipper.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Stir all ingredients with ice: London dry gin 45 mlDry vermouth 20 mlRosso vermouth 20 mlBénédictine D.O.M. liqueur 5 mlBoker’s bitters 2 dashesSaline solution 1 dash
- Fine strain into the chilled glass
- Express a lemon twist over the cocktail and use as garnish
Tips
- Stir 30 seconds over ice; the split vermouth and Bénédictine need chilling and dilution to knit together smoothly.
- Keep the Bénédictine to a whisper — its honeyed spice should support the gin, not overtake the vermouths.
- Express a lemon twist over the coupe and rim it; the citrus oils lift the gin's juniper and brighten the finish.
History
The Rolls Royce cocktail first achieved prominence in the 1930 Savoy Cocktail Book, though the publication notably dropped the automaker's trademark hyphen. Culturally, the drink was part of a broader interwar bartending trend of naming cocktails after fast, modern marvels of engineering, mirroring the creation of peers like the Bentley and the Aviation. Structurally, it functioned as an early 20th-century evolution of the "perfect Martini" template that had emerged in the 1910s. During the modern craft cocktail revival of the 2010s, New York bartender William Elliott rediscovered the obscure classic, ultimately introducing a heavily adapted, contemporary version at his Lower East Side establishment, Tigre.
FAQ
What are the ingredients in a Rolls-Royce cocktail?
A Rolls Royce is London dry gin, dry vermouth, sweet (rosso) vermouth, and a dash of Bénédictine, with a dash of Boker's bitters in this build. It is stirred over ice and served up with a lemon twist.
Is a Rolls Royce shaken or stirred?
Stirred. The original Savoy recipe was shaken, but as a clear, spirit-forward Martini variation it is better stirred, which keeps it silky and bright rather than cloudy from aeration.
What glass is a Rolls Royce served in?
A coupe glass, served up without ice. Its Martini-family character calls for a stemmed glass that keeps the drink cold and shows off the clarity, finished with a lemon twist.
How long does it take to make a Rolls Royce?
About two to three minutes. Build the gin, both vermouths, Bénédictine, and bitters over ice, stir for roughly 30 seconds, strain into a chilled coupe, and garnish with a lemon twist.
What is a Rolls Royce cocktail?
It is a gin-based Martini variation from The Savoy Cocktail Book, combining dry gin, French and Italian vermouths, and a dash of Bénédictine. The split vermouths make it a perfect Martini, with honey and spice from the liqueur.
