This drink is a variation on the Bronx cocktail, which is itself a variation of the perfect martini, which in turn is a variation on earlier martini recipes. But none of those cocktails is such an obvious shoo-in to serve as a refreshment on the ides of April.
1 1/2 oz. gin
1/2 oz. dry vermouth
1/2 oz. sweet vermouth
3/4 oz. fresh-squeezed orange juice
1 or 2 dashes Angostura bitters
Shake or stir on ice, serve straight up with a cherry garnish.
Sadly, the origin story of this drink, and how it came to have this timely appellation, has apparently been lost in the bustle of history. I’d like to imagine that it came from New York the very year that the 16th Amendment was ratified (1913). But who knows?
Cheers!
