The Trident recipe
Equal parts aquavit, dry sherry, and Cynar create a savory, herbal aperitif born from modern cocktail history.
Method: Stir ·
Glass: Coupe glass ·
Time: 3 min ·
Difficulty: Intermediate ·
Family: The Modern Classics Family
Ingredients
- 1 oz Aquavit
- 1 oz Dry sherry (fino or manzanilla)
- 1 oz Cynar
- 1 dash Peach bitters
- 1 dash Orange bitters
How to make a The Trident
- Chill a coupe glass in the refrigerator or freezer.
- Combine aquavit, dry sherry, Cynar, peach bitters, and orange bitters in a mixing glass filled with ice.
- Stir the mixture steadily for thirty seconds until thoroughly chilled and diluted.
- Strain the liquid into the chilled coupe glass.
- Express the oils from the lemon peel over the drink and drop it into the glass.
Garnish
Lemon peel twist
Pro tip
Use a bone-dry fino or manzanilla sherry to keep the cocktail crisp and sharply balanced against the bitter artichoke liqueur.
History of the The Trident
Created by cocktail historian Robert Hess in 2000, the Trident was originally developed as a creative vehicle to showcase peach bitters. The drink has since become a revered modern classic, praised for its unconventional equal-parts pairing of Scandinavian aquavit, Italian amaro, and Spanish sherry.
Flavour profile
Herbal, Savory, Dry, Complex
Variations
- Seafarer's Swap — Substitute dry amontillado sherry for fino to add nutty, oxidative depth.
- Citrus Twist — Garnish with an orange peel instead of lemon for a fruitier aroma.
- Amber Trident — Use an aged aquavit to introduce subtle oak and vanilla undertones.
Practise making the The Trident in the free Virtual Bar game.