Improved Holland Gin Cocktail
The Improved Holland Gin Cocktail is an old fashioned-style cocktail made with Genever, Simple Syrup, Maraschino Liqueur, Absinthe and Angostura Bitters. It is stirred and served in a coupe glass, about 31% ABV.
- Method
- Stirred
- Glass
- Coupe glass
- Served
- Martini
- Strength
- About 31% ABV
- Family
- Old Fashioned
Ingredients
- 60mlGenever
- 1 barspoonSimple Syrup
- 1 dashMaraschino Liqueur
- 1 dashAbsinthe
- 2 dashesAngostura Bitters
How to make it
- Stir all ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled coupe.
- Express a lemon twist over the drink and drop it in.
Tip: Stir with plenty of cold, hard ice for 20 to 30 seconds. You want it chilled and silky, not cloudy.
About the Improved Holland Gin Cocktail
Jerry Thomas's 1876 bar guide "improved" the plain spirit, sugar and bitters cocktail with dashes of maraschino and absinthe. Genever, the malty Dutch forerunner of gin, was the gin Americans drank then.
Missing something?
- No Genever? Use Old Tom Gin (Lighter and less malty)
- No Genever? Use Gin (Brighter and less malty)
- No Simple Syrup? Use Rich Simple Syrup (More concentrated, so use less)
- No Simple Syrup? Use Sugar (1 tsp sugar is about 7.5 ml syrup; stir until dissolved)
- No Maraschino Liqueur? Use Kirsch (Dry cherry spirit; add a little simple syrup)
- No Angostura Bitters? Use Peychaud's Bitters (Lighter, with more anise)
All swaps for Genever, Simple Syrup, Maraschino Liqueur and Angostura Bitters
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