Stomping Through the "Savoy" (2007–2008)

[thirtyoneknots]

Don't know of too many cocktails that combine sweet vermouth and citrus, aside from the Bronx.

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The Savoy's own Oriental Cocktail, as well as the other mentioned above.

[eje]

Gene Corrie Cocktail

1/2 Hercules. (1 oz YerbaMate/Steepsinthe/Dubonnet Mixture)

1/2 Dry Gin. (1 oz Tanqueray Gin)

Shake well and strain into cocktail glass.

I suspect the Gene Corri(e) here is Eugene Corri, a rather well known boxing referee who died in 1933. On December 7, 1907, at the fight between Gunner Moir and Tommy Burns, he became the first referee to officiate inside a boxing ring.

He also wrote a Memoir, which is still in print:

Refereeing 1000 Fights - Reminiscences of Boxing

Originally published in 1915, this is a memoir of Eugene Corri's career as a boxing referee. He refereed all the top fights of the day and speaks at length of both the fights themselves and the boxers who fought them, all of whom he knew well. Well-illustrated with black and white photographs, this is a fascinating glimpse into a vanished era. Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. Hesperides Press are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork. Contents Include - The Lucky-Tub of Memory - The Carpentier-Gunboat Smith Fight - Barbardier Wells, with a Word or Two about Carpentier - Robert Fitzsimmons - Willie Ritchie and Freddy Welsh - Matt Wells, Sereant Basham,and Johnny Summers - Wilde The Wizard - Some Boxing Storeys - More Boxing Storeys - Boxing in the War

Also found this tidbit in the New York times archive from June 19, 1921:

CORRI IS ON WAY HERE.; English Boxing Referee on the Adriatic, Which Docks Friday.

The White Star liner Adriatic is due to arrive from Southampton and Cherbourg early Friday morning with several English and French sportsmen who are coming to see the Dempsey-Carpentier fight on Saturday and have booked their tickets in advance.

The "Battle of the Century," on July 2, 1921, between Jack Dempsey and Georges Carpentier was the first "million dollar gate" in boxing history. It took the Manassa Mauler 4 rounds and less than 11 minutes to knock the Frenchman Carpentier to the canvas. The fight attracted the largest crowd to a sporting event up to that time, and was one of the first fights broadcast on radio.

[thirtyoneknots]

Ah, but how was the drink? Very interested to hear how your 'Hercules' is performing.

[eje]

Less interesting than the other info above?

I discovered that the spices have faded and the smoky-grassy flavor of the Yerba Mate has really taken over. I think I need to add some sweetener or start over again.

Honestly, I think the best path is just to add a dash of absinthe to dubonnet or lillet rouge.

Craddock seems to have been quite taken with this Hercules stuff, but not many other people.

jazzyjeff mailed me to tell me he'd found one cocktail in the "Cafe Royal Bar Book" using Hercules, the Bullfighter Cocktail:

1/4 Hercules

1/4 Grand Marnier

1/2 Tequila

Shake

Unfortunately, no description of the product's flavor there or anywhere else.

[TVC]

The issue of Hercules being a form of Quinquina may have been addressed before but what if you added a pinch (1/16 tsp) of quinine powder to the Dubonnet?

[eje]

Indeed, indeed.

Hercules, Absinthe Substitute? Red Wine Aperitif?

The current state of the art regarding Hercules is that it was a aromatized wine based aperitif. We know it was flavored with Yerba-Mate, but beyond that is anyone's guess.

The only known glossary type description is from Stan Jones' "Jones' Bar Guide", which states it was an "Absinthe Substitute."

Companies are starting to market alcoholic energy drinks again, not to mention Absinthes, so perhaps it is only a matter of time before Hercules makes its way back to the market.

[DerekW]

  Don't know of too many cocktails that combine sweet vermouth and citrus, aside from the Bronx.

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...and in addition to the list being compiled, the Emerson [which as part of our home list of regulars is heavier on the gin than as it appears on CocktailDB.

This rare opportunity for me to add a snippet of information does double duty as a cover for thanking you for the sterling work you are undertaking [don't want to come across as too 'fanboy' ]

I'm really enjoying your progress; of course it's work - all that careful measuring and acquisition, those occasional strain to drain results...

[eje]

Gene Tunney Cocktail

1 Dash Orange Juice. (1 tsp. Blood Orange Juice)

1 Dash Lemon Juice. (1 tsp Lemon Juice)

1/3 French Vermouth. (3/4 oz Dolin Dry Vermouth)

2/3 Plymouth Gin. (1 1/2 oz Plymouth Gin)

Shake (stir?) well and strain into cocktail glass.

Well, that is a bit odd...

Gene Tunney

Gene Tunney-bright, good-looking, and an acknowledged pillar of the 1920s' "Golden Age of Sports"-was never as popular among boxing fans as the man he defeated to become heavyweight champion of the world. Tunney outfought Jack Dempsey in 1926, and he retained the title in the famous "long count" rematch a year later. Tunney's relative intellectualism, reticence in public, and scientific boxing style distanced him from fight fans and the press. Despite this lack of contemporary acclaim, Tunney is remembered as a great fighter who lost only once in his career and was the first heavyweight champion to retire-and stay retired-as the titleholder.

After invoking Dempsey in the previous cocktail, it turns out Gene Tunney was the man who defeated him in 1926 to become the new heavy weight champion of the world.

Not sure what to say about the cocktail, in the presence of so many heavy weight boxing associations. It is certainly no "Dempsey Cocktail." I'd almost go so far as to say it's kind of a proto cosmo. I mean, it is very much a Martini with a touch of citrus juice. I did over pour a bit on the citrus. It should really have been just a half teaspoon or less of each of the juices.

Since Blood Oranges were in season, there was absolutely no way I could resist putting them in this cocktail.

[thirtyoneknots]

I'd almost go so far as to say it's kind of a proto cosmo. 

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Highly indicative of the "relative intellectualism" no?

[eje]

  Don't know of too many cocktails that combine sweet vermouth and citrus, aside from the Bronx.

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...and in addition to the list being compiled, the Emerson [which as part of our home list of regulars is heavier on the gin than as it appears on CocktailDB.

This rare opportunity for me to add a snippet of information does double duty as a cover for thanking you for the sterling work you are undertaking [don't want to come across as too 'fanboy' ]

I'm really enjoying your progress; of course it's work - all that careful measuring and acquisition, those occasional strain to drain results...

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Derek, thanks for the kind words and encouragment.

Huh, the Emerson is a bit of an odd cocktail. Old Tom Gin, Lime Juice, Sweet Vermouth, and Maraschino. A bit similar to Fluffy Ruffles, I suppose. What Gin do you tend to use? Does it need a touch of extra sweetener for balance and make up for the lack of Old-Tom? Or is it sweet enough with the Rosso Vermouth and Maraschino?

[eje]

I'd almost go so far as to say it's kind of a proto cosmo. 

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Highly indicative of the "relative intellectualism" no?

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Good one!

Reading the article, Tunney reminds me a bit of a certain not very popular and recently departed San Francisco Giant.

[DerekW]

Huh, the Emerson is a bit of an odd cocktail.  Old Tom Gin, Lime Juice, Sweet Vermouth, and Maraschino.  A bit similar to Fluffy Ruffles, I suppose.  What Gin do you tend to use?  Does it need a touch of extra sweetener for balance and make up for the lack of Old-Tom?  Or is it sweet enough with the Rosso Vermouth and Maraschino?

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As I first encountered it [in a book by Mark Kingwell which is more theme and variations, more text with accompanying drink than the usual drink dictionary format] I think the recipe called for 'Gin'. No mention of Old Tom. Our usual is Tanqueray. Preferring many of my drinks on the sour side of perky I don't miss the sweetness. Try 2oz Dry Gin, 1 oz Rosso, 1/2 oz lime juice and 1/4 oz Luxardo Maraschino. I don't mind 'odd' - I'm odd enough to like it

[thirtyoneknots]

Huh, the Emerson is a bit of an odd cocktail.  Old Tom Gin, Lime Juice, Sweet Vermouth, and Maraschino.  A bit similar to Fluffy Ruffles, I suppose.  What Gin do you tend to use?  Does it need a touch of extra sweetener for balance and make up for the lack of Old-Tom?  Or is it sweet enough with the Rosso Vermouth and Maraschino?

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As I first encountered it [in a book by Mark Kingwell which is more theme and variations, more text with accompanying drink than the usual drink dictionary format] I think the recipe called for 'Gin'. No mention of Old Tom. Our usual is Tanqueray. Preferring many of my drinks on the sour side of perky I don't miss the sweetness. Try 2oz Dry Gin, 1 oz Rosso, 1/2 oz lime juice and 1/4 oz Luxardo Maraschino. I don't mind 'odd' - I'm odd enough to like it

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The preportions and combo of red vermouth and lime calls to mind the Oriental, I bet this Emerson is dang tasty.

[eje]

Genevieve Cocktail

1/3 Hollands Gin. (3/4 oz Anchor Genevieve Genever style Gin)

2/3 Hercules. (1 1/2 oz Byrrh Assemblage, 1/2 teaspoon Marteau Verte Classique Absinthe)

Stir well and strain into cocktail glass.

I was really quite excited to be able to make the Genevieve cocktail with Anchor's Genevieve Gin. Not only that, but this cocktail turned out really well. Just darn tasty. With the elegance of the Byrrh and the Juniper and Star Anise notes of the Anchor Gin working incredibly well with the Anise and savory notes of the Marteau Absinthe.

Unfortunately, recent developments have thrown the nature of Hercules back into flux. Likely this interpretation is completely wrong, from the red wine base of the Byrrh to the dash of Absinthe. Le Sigh.

If you want to give it a try, more or less, as above, Byrrh is a bit of a hard thing to come by. I'd suggest substituting a lighter style ruby port (Warre's Warrior or similar) and a drop or two of Angostura Bitters.

[eje]

Gibson Cocktail.

1/2 French Vermouth. (1 1/2 oz Dolin Dry)

1/2 Gin. (1 1/2 oz Plymouth Gin)

Shake well and strain into cocktail glass. Squeeze lemon peel on top. (Garnish with cocktail onion.)

Interesting that the Savoy Recipe neglects the cocktail onion garnish. Or maybe they just forgot it.

Colleen Graham over at About.com has written a nice piece debunking some of the stories about the Gibson Cocktail.

The Real Gibson Story

According to Miss Graham, she received a note from the family of W.D.K. Gibson, claiming he invented the cocktail around 1898 at the Bohemian Club in San Francisco, some 30 years before Charles Dana Gibson claimed to have invented it.

The story goes that WDK Gibson objected to the way the bartender at the Bohemian made martinis. He preferred them stirred, and made with Plymouth Gin. He also believed that eating onions would prevent colds. Hence the onion. In his version--which I've not seen in later bar books, a twist of orange was held over the glass so that a bit of the oil would fall on the top.

[thirtyoneknots]

My copy is currently loaned out, so I can't check this myself, but I recall the Gibson from Imbibe containing no onion, leading me to believe it was a later addition and the source for the Savoy's recipe is from an earlier time.

[eje]

Oh right, Wondrich's "Imbibe"! I had a vague memory of a Gibson recipe with no onion and a story about it, but couldn't remember where it came from. I didn't look in "Imbibe" as the Gibson seems more like a 20th Century invention.

I'll check tonight when I get home, or if anyone has the book handy, please post.

[bostonapothecary]

Oh right, Wondrich's "Imbibe"!  I had a vague memory of a Gibson recipe with no onion and a story about it, but couldn't remember where it came from.  I didn't look in "Imbibe" as the Gibson seems more like a 20th Century invention.

I'll check tonight when I get home, or if anyone has the book handy, please post.

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wonderich cites a 1915 oakland tribute article crediting the drink to san fransisco. wonderich claims the drink could be named after multiple people: Charles Dana Gibson the artist or Bohemian Club member Walter D. K. Gibson.

60-40 dry gin to vermouth... no garnish...

[eje]

[...]

60-40 dry gin to vermouth... no garnish...

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Yeah, I agree. With Plymouth this would have been better around 60-40 than 50-50.

It is just too soft to stand up to that much vermouth.

Regarding the onion, since Craddock and the Savoy editors are often lax when it comes to remembering to include garnishes I was checking through various Gibson recipes.

Amusingly, P.G. Duffy, who does tend to be fastidious about accurately transcribing recipes and including garnishes, suggests a cherry in the 1934 edition of "The Official Mixer's Manual." By the Beard edited 1940s edition that has changed to an onion.

The Gibson is also one of the cocktails pointed out in Beard's introduction to the newer edition. He says something like, "we don't make our Gibsons with that much vermouth any longer." Oh how I dread reading "expanded and revised" on the cover of an edition of a classic cocktail book.

[eje]

Gilroy Cocktail

1/6 Lemon Juice. (1/2 of 3/4 oz Lemon Juice)

1/6 French Vermouth. (1/2 of 3/4 oz Dolin Dry Vermouth)

1/3 Cherry Brandy. (3/4 oz Cherry Heering)

1/3 Dry Gin. (3/4 oz Plymouth Gin)

1 Dash Orange Bitters. (Regan's)

Shake well and strain into cocktail glass.

I liked this one. Seems like it might be one of those fairly decent cocktails saddled with an unfortunate name.

Sources indicate the Gilroy recipe had been published in one of Harry McElhone's guides previous to the Savoy.

Surely not named after the town of Gilroy, Garlic capital of the world. Gilroy would have been at most a one horse fly speck on the map in the 1920s.

Though, hmmm... I see one of the first Anglos to settle in San Ysidro, (the Spanish settlement that would become Gilroy,) was a Scotsman named John Gilroy. As another Scotsman, perhaps the story intrigued McElhone enough to name a cocktail after him?

From wikipedia:

The ship departed from Portsmouth, England, made its way around Cape Horn and proceeded up the Pacific coast of the Americas, stopping at Spanish ports for supplies along the way. In January 1814, the Todd arrived at the Presidio of Monterey. During the visit, ordinary seaman John Gilroy (a Scotsman who had changed his name from John Cameron when he went to sea to avoid recognition) either jumped ship or, depending on the historical source, was left ashore to recover from scurvy.  In any event he found his way to San Ysidro, converted to Roman Catholicism and became the first non-Spanish settler in Alta California legally recognized by the Spanish crown. More Americans and Europeans entered the region over time, but the area remained under the control of Spain (and after 1821, independent Mexico); Gilroy married the daughter of his employer and eventually became alcalde of the village himself.

When the annexation of California by the United States in 1848 was followed by the discovery of gold in the Sierra Nevada, the trickle of immigrants from the eastern states became frequent...On March 12, 1870 it was officially incorporated by the state legislature as the town of Gilroy (John Gilroy had died in 1869).

Edited March 13, 2008 by eje (log)

[thirtyoneknots]

Looks pretty tasty, not gonna lie. Seems like it might be a good showcase for the Cherry Heering. Most of mine gets used in McKinley's Delights.

[bostonapothecary]

Gilroy Cocktail

1/6 Lemon Juice. (1/2 of 3/4 oz Lemon Juice)

1/6 French Vermouth. (1/2 of 3/4 oz Dolin Dry Vermouth)

1/3 Cherry Brandy. (3/4 oz Cherry Heering)

1/3 Dry Gin. (3/4 oz Plymouth Gin)

1 Dash Orange Bitters. (Regan's)

Shake well and strain into cocktail glass.

i think i need to drink this... i don't have cherry heering... i might have to use elisir gambrinus instead... or maybe its worth my while to buy the heering... hmm.

[thirtyoneknots]

Gilroy Cocktail

1/6 Lemon Juice. (1/2 of 3/4 oz Lemon Juice)

1/6 French Vermouth. (1/2 of 3/4 oz Dolin Dry Vermouth)

1/3 Cherry Brandy. (3/4 oz Cherry Heering)

1/3 Dry Gin. (3/4 oz Plymouth Gin)

1 Dash Orange Bitters. (Regan's)

Shake well and strain into cocktail glass.

I liked this one.  Seems like it might be one of those fairly decent cocktails saddled with an unfortunate name.

Sources indicate the Gilroy recipe had been published in one of Harry McElhone's guides previous to the Savoy.

Surely not named after the town of Gilroy, Garlic capital of the world.  Gilroy would have been at most a one horse fly speck on the map in the 1920s.

Though, hmmm...  I see one of the first Anglos to settle in San Ysidro, (the Spanish settlement that would become Gilroy,) was a Scotsman named John Gilroy.  As another Scotsman, perhaps the story intrigued McElhone enough to name a cocktail after him?

From wikipedia:

The ship departed from Portsmouth, England, made its way around Cape Horn and proceeded up the Pacific coast of the Americas, stopping at Spanish ports for supplies along the way. In January 1814, the Todd arrived at the Presidio of Monterey. During the visit, ordinary seaman John Gilroy (a Scotsman who had changed his name from John Cameron when he went to sea to avoid recognition) either jumped ship or, depending on the historical source, was left ashore to recover from scurvy.  In any event he found his way to San Ysidro, converted to Roman Catholicism and became the first non-Spanish settler in Alta California legally recognized by the Spanish crown. More Americans and Europeans entered the region over time, but the area remained under the control of Spain (and after 1821, independent Mexico); Gilroy married the daughter of his employer and eventually became alcalde of the village himself.

When the annexation of California by the United States in 1848 was followed by the discovery of gold in the Sierra Nevada, the trickle of immigrants from the eastern states became frequent...On March 12, 1870 it was officially incorporated by the state legislature as the town of Gilroy (John Gilroy had died in 1869).

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So I tried it tonight, subbing the last 1/2 oz of Noillly Prat for the Dolin and Beefeaters for the Plymouth. Forgot the bitters, but dashed in a bit of a prebottled Fees/Regans mix in the glass with no ill effects.

This is actually rather terriffic, and is, I think, within a very slight tweaking of being a potential top seller on a cocktail list. It's not realy so sweet in the glass as it looks on the page, and is probably right at about the average enjoyable sweetness level for most customers. For my taste, I think I might up the gin and vermouth next time and slightly tone down the liqueur, sort of like a cherry version of the 20th Century. This, I think, has huge potential.

[tikibars]

Don't know of too many cocktails that combine sweet vermouth and citrus, aside from the Bronx.

You're right that it's not common, but there are a few classics: The Blood and Sand and Satan's Whiskers cocktails come immediately to mind. These both include orange juice rather than lemon or lime, which is interesting. There's a version of the El Floridita that includes sweet vermouth along with Cuban-style white rum, lime juice, crème de cacao and grenadine. The Palm Beach Special is a nice one, with gin, grapefruit juice and sweet vermouth. I can't think of any notweorthy ones with lemon juice and sweet vermouth.

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How about lemon AND lime AND orange, AND sweet vermouth AND creme de cacao AND grenadine....!

Tortuga by Trader Vic (Still served in many TV's restaurants, and a favorie of mine to make at home)...

1 ounce Demarara 151 rum

1.5 ounce amber rum (try Pampero)

.5 ounce fresh orange juice

.5 ounce fresh lime juice

.25 ounce fresh lemon juice

.25 ounce grenadine

1 ounce red vermouth

.5 ounce orange Curacao

.5 ounce Creme de Cacao

Shake all with ice and lime rind, pour into tall glass.

[bostonapothecary]

So I tried it tonight, subbing the last 1/2 oz of Noillly Prat for the Dolin and Beefeaters for the Plymouth. Forgot the bitters, but dashed in a bit of a prebottled Fees/Regans mix in the glass with no ill effects.

This is actually rather terriffic, and is, I think, within a very slight tweaking of being a potential top seller on a cocktail list. It's not realy so sweet in the glass as it looks on the page, and is probably right at about the average enjoyable sweetness level for most customers. For my taste, I think I might up the gin and vermouth next time and slightly tone down the liqueur, sort of like a cherry version of the 20th Century. This, I think, has huge potential.

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i think i tried it exactly the same way. (beafeater,noily,reagans) the fruit from the cherry heering was quite potent... but everything else provided incredibly adult flavor contrasts... this drink is well within the average of so many people's tastes... i might have to drink these three to my usual one over proof rum cocktails but i think it would be worth the extra effort...