Diamondback recipe
A bold mid-century Baltimore classic uniting robust rye, rich apple brandy, and herbal Chartreuse.
Method: Stir ·
Glass: Coupe glass ·
Time: 3 min ·
Difficulty: Intermediate ·
Family: The Old Fashioned Family
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 oz Rye whiskey (Bottled-in-bond preferred)
- 3/4 oz Applejack (Or straight apple brandy)
- 3/4 oz Green Chartreuse
How to make a Diamondback
- Add rye whiskey, applejack, and Green Chartreuse to a mixing glass filled with cracked ice.
- Stir diligently for 30 seconds until the liquid is thoroughly chilled and properly diluted.
- Strain the mixture into a chilled coupe glass.
- Garnish with a brandied cherry resting on the edge or dropped into the glass.
Garnish
Brandied cherry
Pro tip
Use a high-proof rye whiskey and authentic Green Chartreuse to balance the rich sweetness of the apple brandy without letting the herbal notes overpower the spirit backbone.
History of the Diamondback
Created at the Diamondback Lounge of the Lord Baltimore Hotel in Baltimore, Maryland, around 1951, the drink first appeared in print in Ted Saucier's cocktail compendium Bottoms Up. While widely attributed to the hotel's lounge staff, exact individual bartender attribution remains obscured by mid-century record-keeping practices.
Flavour profile
Herbal, Robust, Complex, Spicy
Variations
- Yellowjacket — Substitute Yellow Chartreuse for Green Chartreuse for a mellower, honeyed herbal profile.
- Calvados Diamondback — Swap domestic applejack for French Calvados to introduce crisper orchard fruit acidity and deeper oak aging.
- Bespoke Smoke — Infuse the mixing glass with applewood smoke before straining to amplify autumnal bonfire aromas.
Practise making the Diamondback in the free Virtual Bar game.