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Cocktail History
The Hanky Panky is a classic cocktail that was created in the early 1900s by the legendary female bartender Ada Coleman at The Savoy Hotel in London, England. The recipe is made using a simple mixture of common Prohibition-era ingredient—gin, sweet vermouth, and Fernet-Branca. Cocktail legend also says its name came to be after Coleman made the drink for a customer who after one sip exclaimed, “By Jove! This is the real hanky panky.”
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Gin: This is a spirit made with juniper berries, botanicals, and alcohol. This recipe specifically calls for Hendrick’s Gin, but I used Prairie Organic Spirits Gin.
Sweet Vermouth: This is a fortified wine made with grapes, sugar, botanicals, herbs, sugar, and alcohol. I used Carpano Antica Formula Vermouth.
Fernet-Branca: This is an amaro made in Italy with gentian, aloe, herbs, spices, sugar, and alcohol.
Orange Twist: This is the peel of an orange that has been twisted into a corkscrew shape.
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.
Mixing Glass: This is used to hold the ingredients while they’re being stirred. used the Viski 17 oz Cocktail Mixing Glass.
Bar Spoon: This is used to stir ingredients. I used the Barfly Stainless Steel Teardrop Bar Spoon.
Julep Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is stirred. I used the A Bar Above Julep Strainer.
Peeler: This is used to remove the garnish peel from the citrus. I used the OXO Good Grips 2-Piece Peeler Set.
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Tasting Notes
This cocktail has the following flavor profile:
• Appearance: Dark red-ish brown color
• Aroma: Distinct vermouth and citrus
• Taste: Slightly grassy fortified wine with gin botanicals and amaro bitterness
• Finish: Slight menthol and orange notes
Kendall’s Rating: ⭐⭐
Kendall’s Take: “I can tell this is a vintage recipe because, wow, is it strong and incredibly booze-forward in flavor. The only drink of this vein I can stomach at the time of writing this is a Gibson, and even those I prefer dirty. The Hanky Panky is definitely more complex than I expected for using only three ingredients, so I have to give it points for that. But ultimately, this one was not for me. I probably need a few more decades of experience drinking stronger cocktails before I’ll really enjoy it.”
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was adapted from Steve The Bartender’s Cocktail Guide by Steve Roennfeldt.
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 2024-10-14.
Hanky Panky
The Hanky Panky is a classic cocktail that was created in the early 1900s by the legendary female bartender Ada Coleman at The Savoy Hotel in London, England. The recipe is made using a simple mixture of common Prohibition-era ingredient—gin, sweet vermouth, and Fernet-Branca. Cocktail legend also says its name came to be after Coleman made the drink for a customer who after one sip exclaimed, “By Jove! This is the real hanky panky.”
Ingredients
Method
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Add gin, sweet vermouth, Fernet-Branca, and cubed ice to a mixing glass.
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Stir for 30-45 seconds.
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Strain into a cocktail glass.
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Garnish with orange twist.
