Tuxedo (Twist)

Gin. Sherry (Manzanilla). Vermouth (Bianco or Dry). Absinthe.

This is a twist on a Tuxedo, itself a twist on a Martini. The original Tuxedo comes from Harry Johnson’s New & Improved Bartender’s Manual (1882). As with anything in the martini family, it is a perfect pre-dinner aperitif. Boozy and dry enough to stimulate any appetite. For this you’re going to need a mixing vessel, a spoon, and a glass. If you haven’t got a shaker tin or mixing glass, you can use anything at all – a biscuit tin, a pint glass, a water jug for all I care.

1. Into your mixing vessel (per drink) put:

• 50 ml (4 parts) Gin.

• 12.5 ml (1 part) Manzanilla Sherry.

• 12.5 ml (1 part) Bianco Vermouth.

2. Into your cocktail glass, add a rinse of absinthe. The best way to do this is with an atomiser (cheap plastic spray bottle) as pictured. If you haven’t got one, add 5-10ml Absinthe and one ice cube and leave it.

3. Add lots of ice to your mixing vessel and stir for about 30-60 seconds.

4. Your absinthe will have thickened as the ice cube chilled it. Give it a swirl so it coats the glass and discard excess and the cube.

5. Strain the cocktail out of your mixing vessel and into your absinthe-rinsed glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Some Notes:

• Tuxedo – The original is simply 2:1 ratio of gin to vermouth. If you have no sherry this is still a delicious drink, and is made as above.

• Gin – I only had the Le Gin you see pictured, which is made with an apple base spirit. This is great gin and gives the drink a new dimension, but you could use any gin you have to hand. If it’s a gin you like the taste of, you’ll like it in this.

• Sherry – as stated you could easily make this drink without it, but if you like the sound of it any dry sherry would work – a fino like Tio Pepe would also be fine.

• Vermouth – if you’ve inexplicably read more than one recipe on here you’ll see that I much prefer using Bianco vermouth to the dry stuff. This is simply personal preference – purists would probably insist this should be made with an extra dry such as Martini or Noilly Prat.