Hanky Panky
Ingredients:
1.5oz Gin
1.5oz Sweet Vermouth
.25oz Fernet Branca
Orange twist
Instructions:
Add all liquids to a mixing glass. Add ice and stir. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with the orange twist.
Notes:
- For tasting purposes, the Hanky Panky can be thought of as a derivative of either a 50/50 martini with sweet vermouth and Fernet for bitters, or a Negroni without the Campari, spiced up with Fernet Branca (although the Hanky Panky was invented prior to the Negroni).
- The Hanky Panky bridges an interesting gap between the Martini and the Negroni and is recommended for when you are in the mood for something a little bit off the beaten path.
- It is sweeter than the Martini, but drier and slightly less bitter than the Negroni.
- Give this one a try when in the mood for a change of pace and a little history.
History:
The Hanky Panky first appeared in the early 1900s at the Savoy Hotel. A female bartender, Ada Coleman first made this drink for an actor named Sir Charles Hawtry. He asked for a drink with a little “punch” and Coleman went to work. After a little experimentation she came up with the cocktail listed above. As the story goes, when he tasted the drink, he loved it and referred to it as “…the real Hanky Panky.” As a side note, Coleman’s tender at the Savoy was followed by Harry Craddock, author of the famous Savoy Cocktail Book.
Variations:
Try some white sweet vermouth to give this a lighter look and flavor.
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