Hanky Panky: The Cocktail Recipe

Chill the cocktail glass in the freezer for about ten minutes.

Chill the mixing glass by filling it 3/4 full with ice cubes and mixing with a bar spoon to speed up the cooling process.

Measure and pour the gin into the mixing glass.

Measure and pour the red vermouth and Fernet-Branca into the mixing glass.

Gently emulsify the ingredients with a barspoon.

Pour the contents of the mixing glass into the cold cocktail coupe with the help of the strainer.

Remove a tongue of peel from an orange with a vegetable peeler.

Twist the orange peel zest over the glass to spread all the essential oils inside the glass.

Garnish with the orange zest and serve.

Cocktail Curiosity

This cocktail was invented by Ada Coleman, one of the the first notable bar ladies in history and one of the most famous of the 20th century. Coleman worked from 1903 to 1926 at the historic Hotel Savoy in London, the first luxury hotel to open in England, and she won the first head bartender title in the history of the hotel.

As reported in 1925 by The People magazine, Coleman invented this drink for Charles Hawtrey, a famous actor at the time and a frequenter of the hotel, who asked her for an energising drink following an evening's work.