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Cocktail History
The Bronx is a classic cocktail that was created by Johnny Solon in the early 1900s at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City, New York. It is essentially a lighter, fruitier take on a perfect martini that is made with gin, citrus, and vermouth, and although it’s since been overshadowed by the Manhattan, it was considered the #3 cocktail in the world at one point. It was also named for the Bronx Zoo in New York.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Gin: This is a spirit made with juniper berries, botanicals, and alcohol. We used Prairie Organic Spirits Navy Strength Gin because it has a high alcohol content and features notes of lemon zest, angelica root, and blended spices. For a mocktail version of this drink, try MONDAY Zero Alcohol Gin in place of the gin.
Orange Juice: This is the liquid juice of an orange. We used freshly squeezed orange juice.
Dry Vermouth: This is a fortified wine made with grapes, sugar, botanicals, herbs, sugar, and alcohol. We used Dolin Dry Vermouth de Chambéry because it has a light and airy flavor profile with notes of Alpine herbs. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Lyre’s Non-Alcoholic Apéritif Dry in place of the dry vermouth.
Sweet Vermouth: This is a fortified wine made with grapes, sugar, botanicals, herbs, sugar, and alcohol. We used Carpano Antica Formula Vermouth because it’s a high quality vermouth with dark notes of herbs, figs, licorice, cinnamon, and cocoa. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Lyre’s Non-Alcoholic Apéritif Rosso in place of the sweet vermouth.
Orange Bitters: This is a food product made with oranges, botanicals, herbs, and alcohol. We used Angostura Orange Bitters. For a mocktail version of this drink, try All The Bitter Non-Alcoholic Orange Bitters in place of the orange bitters.
Orange Wedge: This a slice of an orange that has been cut into a wedge shape.
Bartending Tools
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:
Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. We used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Boston Shaker: This is used to shake ingredients. We used the Boston shaker from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Hawthorne Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is shaken. We used the A Bar Above Hawthorne Strainer.
Paring Knife: This is used to cut ingredients. We used the OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife.
Juicer: This is used to juice citrus. We used the ALEEHAI Manual Fruit Juicer.
Peeler: This is used to remove the garnish peel from the citrus. We used the OXO Good Grips 2-Piece Peeler Set.
Tasting Notes
Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: Although similar to other classics, this drink’s gin base makes the Bronx very flavorful, fruity, and somewhat sweet compared to the whiskey-based Manhattan. Kendall actually liked this recipe a lot more than those, but Alex preferred the more famous borough.
Alex’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐
“This one took a few tries to get right, but the variation we settled on is probably more or less what it was supposed to taste like: a fairly dry gin cocktail. At first taste, we both assumed it needed more sweetness, but it was most likely designed to be as dry as it is since it is a Prohibition-era cocktail; tastes and palates were much different at the time. Neither of us loved it admittedly and probably wouldn’t come back to it, but it was a tastefully complex cocktail that has earned its place among the drinks of its era.”
Kendall’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐
“We tried three different versions of this cocktail, each with varying amounts of the ingredients, and although still too dry for my taste, this is definitely the best take we found. I do prefer the Bronx over the Manhattan, but I understand why this one’s been somewhat lost to time. Even with our adjustments, it’s really just not that complex. I doubt I would request this classic again.”
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was adapted from The Art of Vintage Cocktails by Stephanie Rosenbaum.
This post contains affiliate links, meaning we make a small commission each time you purchase a product using our links. Product images sourced from Amazon Product Advertising API. Amazon affiliate links last updated on 2024-09-14.
Bronx
The Bronx is a classic cocktail that was created by Johnny Solon in the early 1900s at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City, New York. It is essentially a lighter, fruitier take on a perfect martini that is made with gin, citrus, and vermouth, and although it’s since been overshadowed by the Manhattan, it was considered the #3 cocktail in the world at one point. It was also named for the Bronx Zoo in New York.
Ingredients
Method
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Add gin, orange juice, dry vermouth, sweet vermouth, orange bitters, and cubed ice to a shaker.
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Shake for 10-20 seconds.
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Strain into a cocktail glass.
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Garnish with orange wedge.
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This post contains affiliate links, meaning we make a small commission each time you purchase a product using our links. Product images sourced from Amazon Product Advertising API. Amazon affiliate links last updated on 2024-09-14.
More Classic Cocktails
If you like this cocktail recipe, here are a few others I’ve tried that you may enjoy:
Manhattan: A rye cocktail made with sweet vermouth, orange bitters, an orange peel, and a cherry
Mint Julep: A bourbon cocktail made with mint and simple syrup
Bee’s Knees: A gin cocktail made with honey syrup, lemon juice, and a lemon wheel
Vesper Martini: A gin and vodka cocktail made with Lillet Blanc and a lemon twist
