top of page
Two brown cocktails sit in coupe glasses on a bar.
A light blue tropical drink cartoon with a straw and a citrus wheel

The term "Cocktail" may refer to a combination of bitters, sugar and spirit. Gerry Thomas, a notable bartender of history, improved upon this cocktail 'formula' by adding another component to it. 


Specialty liqueur. During the historical days, one could find popularity in using Dry Curaçao (a bitter orange liqueur using the citrused orange fruits that acclimated to the arid climate of the island of the same name). Such would be used in the "Fancy" version of the improved cocktail.


We opt for a not-as-fancy version of the still improved Cocktail that uses Maraschino liqueur (a bitterish cherry spirit by Luxardo) in addition to Absinthe. The beauty of this cocktail is that it combines 3 heavy flavor producers in a very balanced way (namely Angostura bitters, Maraschino, and Absinthe).

The Improved Cocktail

The Improved Cocktail

  • 2-3 Dashes of Angostura (or other aromatic) bitters
  • 1/4 oz (7 ml) Simple (or gum) Syrup (2:1 ratio by volume)
  • 2 oz (59 ml) Gin (The Botanist, preferred some Holland gin)
  • 1 barspoon Maraschino Liqueur (Luxardo)
  • 2 drops/dashes of Absinthe (Vieux Carré)

Method: Stir & Strain

Garnish: Expressed Lemon Peel (rimmed around the glass)

Credits: Imbibe! David Wondrich, pg 236

Watch Us Mix this Recipe Live!

Comments?

Did you try the recipe? Got a comment or rating? Share it with us in our Discord community!

bottom of page