Young Man
Stir ∙ 3 min ∙ 30.4% ABV ∙
The Young Man is a stirred Cognac cocktail built with rosso vermouth, orange curaçao, and aromatic bitters, served up in a coupe. Silky and weighty on the tongue, with a warm citrus-tinged sweetness that fades into a lingering, spiced, faintly bitter finish.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Stir all ingredients with ice: Cognac 45 mlRosso vermouth 15 mlOrange curaçao liqueur 10 mlAngostura aromatic bitters 2 dashes
- Fine strain into the chilled glass
- Garnish with a maraschino cherry on a skewer
Tips
- Add the bitters directly to the mixing glass before stirring rather than dashing over the top, so they integrate evenly.
- Stir the Cognac base for a full 30 seconds over ice to soften its heat without over-diluting the drink.
- Pre-chill the coupe while stirring so the fine-strained drink doesn't warm on contact with the glass.
History
The Young Man is a cognac-based cocktail first recorded in Harry Craddock's 1930 The Savoy Cocktail Book, compiled while Craddock tended the American Bar at the Savoy Hotel in London. The book lists it as a brandy drink built with Italian vermouth, curaçao, and Angostura bitters, shaken and strained. No creator or naming story beyond this recorded recipe has surfaced, and the drink is otherwise known only through its inclusion in Craddock's compendium of the era's cocktails.
FAQ
What is in a Young Man cocktail?
Cognac, rosso vermouth, orange curaçao liqueur, and aromatic bitters, stirred with ice and fine-strained into a chilled coupe. It is garnished with a maraschino cherry on a skewer and finishes at about 30.4% ABV.
What is a gentleman's cocktail?
There is no single official 'gentleman's cocktail' — the term is used loosely for classic, spirit-forward stirred drinks rather than one specific recipe. The Young Man fits that mold: a stirred, Cognac-based drink served up, in the same family as a Manhattan or Sazerac.
How do you make a Young Man cocktail?
Stir Cognac, rosso vermouth, orange curaçao, and Angostura bitters with ice, fine-strain into a pre-chilled coupe, and garnish with a maraschino cherry on a skewer. Chilling the glass first matters, since no ice goes into the final drink.
