Tuxedo #2

Taste

Two ounces of gin against three-quarters of dry vermouth, so the gin leads. A quarter ounce of maraschino is cherry pit and almond, and three dashes of orange bitters is a lot of peel. The absinthe is a rinse, a thin anise film on the glass. Stirred, coupe, orange twist. A dressed Martini, gin first, then cherry, peel, and wormwood.

History

Harry Johnson prints the Tuxedo in his 1900 Bartenders' Manual: equal Old Tom and French vermouth, dashes of maraschino, absinthe, and orange bitters. The name is the Tuxedo Club in Tuxedo Park, New York, opened in 1886. Harry Craddock, in the 1930 Savoy Cocktail Book, splits the family: his No. 1 is gin, dry vermouth, lemon peel, and absinthe; his No. 2 is Johnson's original with dry gin in place of Old Tom. The Tuxedo #2 poured here has the maraschino, the orange bitters, and the absinthe, measured as two ounces of gin to three-quarters of vermouth, a quarter of maraschino, three dashes of bitters, and an absinthe rinse, coupe, orange.

• Difford's Guide, Tuxedo cocktail and its many variations
• The Savoy Cocktail Book (1930), Tuxedo Cocktail (No. 2)

Same shape, other bottles

The Martini family, with the bottle that changed.

• Pedro Martinezaged rum and sweet vermouth for gin and dry vermouth
• Waldorfrye and sweet vermouth for gin and dry vermouth
• Dry Orange Martiniorange liqueur for maraschino liqueur
• Wiffinsweet vermouth for dry vermouth
• Greenpointrye and sweet vermouth for gin and dry vermouth
• Manhattanbourbon and sweet vermouth for gin and dry vermouth