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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 type of liquor made with juniper berries, botanicals, and alcohol. I used West Cork Distillers Garnish Island Gin.
Peaty Islay Scotch: This is a type of of Scotch whisky made in southern Scotland with with spices, alcohol, water, and malt or grain that has been dried with peat fires. I used Ardbeg 10 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky.
White Crème De Cacao: This is a liqueur made with white chocolate, vanilla, sugar, and alcohol. I used DeKuyper Crème De Cacao White.
Heavy Cream: This is a thick, high-fat milk product. I used Prairie Farms Dairy Heavy Whipping Cream.
Rose Water: This is a flavored water made by steeping rose petals in water. I used Cortas Premium Rose Water.
Aromatic Bitters: This is a food product made with botanicals, herbs, and alcohol. I used Angostura Aromatic Bitters.
Orange Twist: This is the peel of a orange that has been twisted into a corkscrew shape.
Grated Nutmeg: This is a spice made from the seed of a nutmeg tree. I used Frontier Co-op Whole Nutmeg.
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.
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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 Rating: ⭐⭐
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.
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 2025-02-14.
Barbary Coast
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.

Ingredients
Method
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Add gin, Scotch, crème de cacao, heavy cream, rose water, bitters, and cubed ice to a shaker.
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Shake for 10-20 seconds.
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Strain into a Nick & Nora glass.
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Express orange twist over top of drink.
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Garnish with orange twist and grated nutmeg.