To celebrate the International Women’s Day, I wanted to highlight some amazing cocktail recipes created by women. Most classic and modern classic cocktail recipes have been created by men. There are many cocktails named after women, but not that many recipes actually written down in history by female bartenders.
Women weren’t allowed into bars, and it was very rare to see female bartenders back in the day. Luckily, the likes of Ada Coleman and Audrey Saunders have paved the way for women in the bar scene. Below you can find six cocktails created by women.
Which ones have you tried?
Cocktail Recipes by Women
Hanky Panky
Hanky Panky was created by English bartender Ada Coleman in the early 1900s, at a time when women were rarely seen in bars, never mind serving behind the counter. Her career as a bartender began when she was 24 years old, and four years later she became the head bartender at London’s flashy Savoy American Bar, where she came up with the Hanky Panky cocktail.
The cocktail has similarities to Negroni and uses only three ingredients: gin, bitter and vermouth. Or perhaps it is more of a Martinez, but instead of maraschino liqueur Ada used fernet.
Recipe:
45ml Dry gin
45ml Sweet vermouth
2 Dashes of Fernet-Branca
Orange peel for garnish
Stir all ingredients with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with an orange twist.
See my previous blog post to learn more about The History of Women in Spirits.
Old Cuban
Audrey Saunders created Old Cuban, a Mojito-inspired cocktail, in 2001 at the beginning of the cocktail renaissance. It is basically a minty Daiquiri with a Champagne top. Audrey has a great talent in using classic cocktail templates to create new, delicious variations.
I found a few variations of this recipe. Some use less Champagne, and the amount of lime and sugar has been altered; however, I am fairly certain this is more or less the original template.
Recipe:
45ml Aged rum
6 Mint leaves
20ml Fresh lime juice
25ml Sugar syrup
2 Dashes Angostura Bitters
55ml Champagne
Shake all but Champagne with ice. Double strain into a cocktail glass and top up with the Champagne.
Little Italy
Little Italy was also created by Audrey Saunders in 2005. She named the cocktail after the neighbourhood in New York. This modern classic is a variation of Manhattan, using Italian artichoke amaro, Cynar.
Recipe:
55ml Rye whiskey
15ml Cynar
20ml Sweet vermouth
2 Maraschino cherries for garnish
Stir the ingredients with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with the cherries.
Ever wondered the stories behind some cocktail names? 10 Strange Drink Names and the Stories Behind Them
Cosmopolitan
Made ever so popular by the ladies of Sex and the City, this pink drink was THE drink of the late 90s and early noughties. Cheryl Cook, a Florida-based bartender, created Cosmopolitan with Absolut Citron vodka in the late 80s. She has said the name Cosmopolitan came from the desire to create a drink that expressed the style of Cosmopolitan magazine and suited the Miami crowds. In her recipe she also used triple sec, lime cordial and a touch of cranberry juice to make the colour ‘oh so pretty in pink’, a quote since used by Absolut.
Recipe:
50ml Citrus vodka
25ml Cointreau (or triple sec)
15ml Fresh lime juice
Splash of Cranberry juice
(Flamed) Orange peel
Shake all ingredients with ice and double strain into a chilled Martini glass. Take a round cut of orange peel and, holding a lighter between the peel and the surface of the cocktail, squeeze the oils so they pass through the flame and onto the drink’s surface. Wipe the rim of the glass with the orange peel and drop it in the drink.
Exit Strategy
Exit Strategy was created by Natasha David, the co-owner and head bartender of New York’s Lower East Side-based bar Nitecap. She wanted to create something ‘rich and luscious, almost caramel-like old-fashioned using some of bartenders’ favourite ingredients’.
Recipe:
55ml Amaro Nonino
20ml Germain-Robin Craft-Method Brandy
7.5ml Amaro Meletti
Pinch of Kosher salt
Orange twist for garnish
Stir with ice and strain into an old-fashioned glass over a large ice cube. Garnish with the orange twist.
Añejo Old Fashioned
Instead of bourbon or rye whiskey, this cocktail uses añejo tequila. Añejo Old Fashioned is the creation of New York based bartender Julie Reiner. She first made the cocktail in the early 2000s at her first bar Flatiron Lounge. Today she is the co-owner of well-known cocktail bars Clover Club and Leyenda.
Recipe:
60ml Añejo tequila
7.5ml Agave syrup
Dash of Angostura Bitters
Orange peel (extra for garnish)
Muddle the syrup and bitters with the orange peel. Add tequila and ice and stir until chilled. Strain into a tumbler over a large ice cube. Garnish with an orange peel.
Do you have any cocktails created by women to add to this list? Have you tried any of these recipes?
Disclaimer: Some of the links used are affiliate links. If you buy through the links, I may receive a commission for the sale. This has no effect on the price for you.
