Barbary Coast

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Cocktail History

The Barbary Coast is a vintage cocktail that was created by Harry Craddock and was first published in his 1930 book The Savoy Cocktail Book. It’s traditionally made with a gin and Scotch whisky base, white chocolate liqueur, and cream, but this variation, credited to William Elliot of New York, modernizes the recipe by adding rose water, aromatic bitters, and nutmeg. Why Craddock named the drink as such is a mystery, with the possibilities being that the name is a nod to either the coast in Northern Africa or the sultry red light district that existed in San Francisco during the 19th and 20th centuries.

Cocktail Ingredients

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:

Gin: This is a spirit made by redistilling a neutral spirit with juniper berries and other botanicals to develop a distinctive, aromatic flavor.

Islay Scotch: This is a type of whisky made on the island of Islay in Scotland with malted barley or grains and yeast, which are distilled and then dried with peat fires and aged in oak barrels to develop a smoky, peaty flavor.

White Crème De Cacao: This is a liqueur made with cacao, distilled alcohol, water, and sugar, which are blended and infused to develop a light, milk chocolate flavor.

Heavy Cream: This is a thick, high-fat milk product. I used Prairie Farms Dairy Heavy Whipping Cream.

Rose Water: This is a floral distillate made with rose petals and water, which are steam-distilled to develop a delicate, floral aroma.

Aromatic Bitters: This is a concentrated flavoring made with a blend of herbs, spices, roots, and botanicals, and distilled alcohol, which are macerated or steeped to develop an aromatic, bittersweet flavor.

Orange Twist: This is the peel of a orange that has been twisted into a corkscrew shape.

Nutmeg: This is a spice made from the seeds of the nutmeg tree, which are dried and grated for their warm, aromatic flavor.

Bartending Tools

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:

Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. I used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.

Boston Shaker: This is used to shake ingredients. I 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. I used the A Bar Above Hawthorne Strainer.

Peeler: This is used to remove the garnish peel from the citrus. I used the OXO Good Grips 2-Piece Peeler Set.

Grater: This is used to grate spices or citrus peel. I used the OXO Good Grips Grater.

Tasting Notes

This cocktail has the following flavor profile:

• Appearance: Creamy white color

• Aroma: Nutmeg, cream, and whiskey

• Taste: Creamy peated Scotch flavor complemented with chocolate, citrus, and herbs

• Finish: Dry spicy herbal notes

Kendall’s Take: “This was a very interesting dessert cocktail. I’ve met very few of them that I didn’t like, but I do have to admit that this one wasn’t my favorite, mostly because the Islay Scotch’s flavors are quite prominent. That whisky isn’t my go-to because I find it to be too smoky and overpowering in most recipes, and that was how I felt about it in this drink. If you’re already a fan of Islay Scotch, I do think you might enjoy the Barbary Coast! It’s not really all the sweet and is very complex.”

Recipe

This cocktail recipe was adapted from Winter Drinks: 70 Essential Cold-Weather Cocktails by the editors of PUNCH.