Harvard recipe
A sophisticated 19th-century brandy Manhattan variation balancing rich cognac and sweet vermouth.
Method: Stir ·
Glass: Chilled coupe glass ·
Time: 3 min ·
Difficulty: Intermediate ·
Family: The Martini Family
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 oz Cognac (VSOP or similar quality brandy)
- 1 oz Sweet vermouth (Italian rosso)
- 1 tsp Simple syrup (1:1 sugar to water ratio)
- 2 dashes Angostura bitters
How to make a Harvard
- Fill a mixing glass with quality ice cubes.
- Add the Cognac, sweet vermouth, simple syrup, and Angostura bitters.
- Stir continuously for thirty seconds until thoroughly chilled and diluted.
- Strain the mixture into a pre-chilled coupe glass.
- Garnish with a fresh lemon peel twist.
Garnish
Express oils from a lemon peel twist over the surface and discard or drop in
Pro tip
Use a quality French cognac and fresh sweet vermouth stored in the refrigerator to maintain bright herbal notes.
History of the Harvard
First documented in George Kappeler's 1895 volume Modern American Drinks, the Harvard emerged as a brandy-forward sibling to the Manhattan. The recipe originally featured equal parts brandy and sweet vermouth sweetened with gum syrup.
Flavour profile
Rich, Herbal, Warm, Complex
Variations
- Fair Harvard — Substitute pisco for cognac, blanco vermouth for sweet vermouth, and orange bitters.
- Harvard Cocktail Number Two — Replace sweet vermouth with red quinquina such as Dubonnet and add orange bitters.
- Biltmore Harvard — Incorporate a barspoon of maraschino liqueur for dry cherry depth.
Practise making the Harvard in the free Virtual Bar game.