Claridge Cocktail recipe
Dry gin, vermouth, apricot liqueur, and orange liqueur in a pale-gold 1920s classic.
Method: Stir ·
Glass: Chilled coupe glass ·
Time: 3 min ·
Difficulty: Intermediate ·
Family: Martini
Ingredients
- 1 oz London dry gin
- 1 oz Dry vermouth
- 0.33 oz Orange liqueur
- 0.33 oz Apricot liqueur
How to make a Claridge Cocktail
- Chill a Nick and Nora or coupe glass while you prepare the drink.
- Add gin, dry vermouth, orange liqueur, and apricot liqueur to a shaker with ice.
- Shake briefly until cold, or stir for a clearer finish.
- Strain into the chilled glass and express a lemon twist over the surface.
Garnish
Lemon twist.
Pro tip
Keep the apricot and orange liqueurs restrained. They should round the vermouth and gin rather than turn the drink into a fruit cocktail.
History of the Claridge Cocktail
The Claridge Cocktail first appeared in Harry McElhone’s 1922 Harry’s ABC of Mixing Cocktails, credited to Leon, a bartender at Claridge’s Hotel on the Champs-Élysées in Paris. Harry Craddock later included it in The Savoy Cocktail Book. Its equal dry gin and vermouth base gives it the shape of a Martini, while apricot and orange liqueurs add a soft orchard note.
Flavour profile
Dry, Apricot, Citrus, Botanical
Variations
- Stirred Claridge — Stir rather than shake for a crystal-clear drink.
- Saline Claridge — Add two drops of saline to sharpen the orange and apricot notes.
Practise making the Claridge Cocktail in the free Virtual Bar game.