Webster
Shake ∙ 3 min ∙ 21.5% ABV ∙
The Webster is a shaken gin cocktail blending London dry gin, dry vermouth, apricot brandy liqueur, and fresh lime into a tart, spirit-forward sour. Bright and tart on first sip, it settles into a silky, fruit-tinged finish with a crisp citrus snap from the expressed twist.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Shake all ingredients with ice: London dry gin 45 mlDry vermouth 30 mlApricot brandy liqueur 15 mlLime juice 20 mlSugar syrup 5 mlSaline solution 1 dash
- Fine strain into the chilled glass
- Express a lime twist over the cocktail and use as garnish
Tips
- Pre-chill the coupe before straining — the drink is fine-strained with no ice, so a warm glass costs it its chill fast.
- Express the lime twist directly over the surface right before serving so the oils sit on top rather than fading into the shake.
- Shake hard and briefly — the lime and sugar syrup need quick aeration and chilling, not prolonged agitation that over-dilutes the gin base.
History
The Webster first appeared in print in Harry Craddock's The Savoy Cocktail Book, published in 1930, where it was described as a favorite at the bar of the ocean liner RMS Mauretania. Craddock, the head bartender of the American Bar at the Savoy Hotel in London, compiled the book from recipes served during his tenure there, and the Webster's listed build called for Plymouth gin, French vermouth, apricot brandy, and lime juice. Beyond this original citation, no separate account of who created the drink or why it carries the name Webster is documented.
