Lemon Drop

Taste

Two ounces of vodka, three-quarters orange liqueur, a full ounce of lemon, one barspoon of simple. The lemon is louder than the orange liqueur; a barspoon of sugar barely covers an ounce of juice. Shaken, coupe, sugar rim. Candy, then pith.

History

Norman Hobday, who ran Henry Africa's in San Francisco, the fern bar that opened in 1969, built the Lemon Drop in the 1970s as a vodka sour in a sugar-rimmed cocktail glass. Martin Cate, in The Oxford Companion, files it with the Harvey Wallbanger and the wine spritzer. Later bars reduced it to a chilled vodka shot with a sugared lemon wedge. This menu keeps the glass and the sugar rim, with two ounces of vodka, three-quarters orange liqueur, a full ounce of lemon, and a barspoon of simple.

• The Oxford Companion to Spirits and Cocktails, The Lemon Drop

Same shape, other bottles

The Daisy family, with the bottle that changed.

• Elderflower Daiquirilight rum and lime juice for vodka and lemon juice
• Whiskey Daisybourbon for vodka
• Margaritatequila and lime juice for vodka and lemon juice
• Mezcal Margaritamezcal and lime juice for vodka and lemon juice
• Ace of Clubsaged rum and lime juice for vodka and lemon juice
• Between the Sheetscognac and light rum for vodka