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Cocktail History
The Prince of Wales is a classic cocktail that is said to have been created by King Edward VII, the monarch of England from 1901-1910. It was first published in a tell-all book about the prince in which this drink, which is traditionally made with sparkling wine, rye whiskey, pineapple, sugar, cherry, and bitters, was listed as being one of his favorites.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Sparkling Wine: This is a carbonated wine made with white or red grapes. We used Villa Bellezza Winery Brillante because it has a light and airy flavor. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Gruvi Non-Alcoholic Prosecco in place of the sparkling wine.
Rye: This is a type of whiskey made with at least 51% rye grain, malted barley, corn, and water. We used Sazerac Rye 18-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey because it has a nice spiced flavor with notes of vanilla, pepper, and herbs. For a mocktail version of this drink, try The Gospel Responsible Rye Non-Alcoholic Whiskey in place of the whiskey.
Pineapple Juice: This is the liquid juice of a pineapple. We used fresh pineapple juice.
Simple Syrup: This is a sweetener made with white sugar and water. We made ours at home using Alex’s stovetop recipe.
Maraschino Liqueur: This is a liqueur made with Maraschino cherries, honey, herbs, spices, sugar, and alcohol. We used Luxardo Maraschino Orginale Liqueur because it has a distinct earthy aroma and sweet cherry flavor. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Trader Vic’s Premium Maraschino Cherry Syrup in place of the cherry liqueur.
Aromatic Bitters: This is a food product made with botanicals, herbs, and alcohol. We used Angostura Aromatic Bitters. For a mocktail version of this drink, try All The Bitter Alcohol-Free Aromatic Bitters in place of the aromatic bitters.
Lemon Peel: This the peel of a lemon that has been cut into a strip.
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.
Pineapple Corer: This is used to remove the core of the pineapple before it’s juiced. We used the OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Pineapple Corer.
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, fruits, and vegetables. We used the Hamilton Beach Large Juicer.
Peeler: This is used to remove the garnish peel from the citrus. We used the OXO Good Grips 2-Piece Peeler Set.
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 2024-10-12.
Tasting Notes
The Prince of Wales features sweet aromas of pineapple, rye spice, and lemon zest, and it has an off-dry taste with slightly sweet flavors that are mostly overshadowed by the rye whiskey but are still noticeable and a spiciness from both the whiskey and bitters. The drink then finishes with the same dry but flavorful characteristic, accented with bubbles that bring the flavors up to the nose a bit more.
Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: We both thought this drink was very interesting because it features sparkling wine paired with a hodgepodge of flavors. We expected it to be sweet and fruity because of the pineapple, but it’s actually quite dry, not so much that Kendall, who usually prefers a sweeter drinks, wouldn’t make it again though. All in all, the Prince of Wales is a fine bubbly beverage filled with a mix of unexpected flavors.
Kendall’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐
“Two years into doing regular cocktail tastings, and this is still one of the most interesting sparkling wine drinks I’ve had. I go into bubbly cocktail tastings expecting all of them to be fairly sweet, but this one couldn’t be further from that. The rye lends its usual dark, spicy burn that you expect to be offset by fruity pineapple and sweet wine, but that’s not the case. This drink is quite dry with a fascinating tang that’s just hard to describe. It doesn’t land of my list of favorite cocktails, but it’s worth experiencing at least once if you want a sparkling wine cocktail with a twist.”
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 2024-10-12.
Prince of Wales
The Prince of Wales is a classic cocktail that is said to have been created by King Edward VII, the monarch of England from 1901-1910. It was first published in a tell-all book about the prince in which this drink, which is traditionally made with sparkling wine, rye whiskey, pineapple, sugar, cherry, and bitters, was listed as being one of his favorites.
Ingredients
Method
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Add rye, pineapple juice, maraschino liqueur, 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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Top with sparkling wine.
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Garnish with lemon peel.
