Claridge Cocktail

The combination of ingredients in this Claridge cocktail recipe meld into a delicious drink that will delight the tastebuds and dazzle your guests!

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What I love most about the Claridge is that it’s full of surprises.

When you first see this cocktail, you think, boy, that looks delicious. You imagine it’s going to taste lemony because that’s the way it looks. Well, it doesn’t. Then, if you’re curious like me and ask what’s in it, you will most likely think the combination of ingredients can’t be very good. But you would be wrong. It is!

See? Full of surprises.

If you like martinis and all their variations, you will like this cocktail. But, you have to be careful because it is 100% alcohol without any fruit juice to dilute it.

Here is a scenario you don’t want to happen to you:

Me after drinking one of these delish drinks: “I’d like another Claridge cocktail, please!”

After two: “Gimme one of those Claarige thingies!”

After three: “blurbablurbaClaarii!”

Bartender: “You are shut off!”

My response: “Icaaafeemiib!”  Translation: “I can’t feel my lips!”

History of this cocktail

I was going to write about the origin of this delicious Claridge cocktail, but my research raised more questions than I had before I started.

I always thought this cocktail was invented at the Claridge Hotel in the UK.

Umm, according to my research, it wasn’t. I couldn’t find the origin of this delightful drink.

Then I discovered more misinformation. I thought the word cocktail was spoken all over the world. It isn’t. At first I read that the word originated in the U.S., but then I read that the word was originally from Mexico. I couldn’t confirm either way. So, I was confused.

So, I’m not going to talk about where this lovely Claridge cocktail came from or even where the word cocktail originated. What I am going to talk about are…

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Helpful tips

• Use the BEST ingredients you can afford, but just know that using premium ingredients equal a more delicious drink, especially when the cocktail is 100% alcohol.
• If you are strapped for cash and would rather not get a mid- to high-level gin, I recommend getting at least a mid- to high-level orange liqueur. So, get Cointreau instead of triple sec. Here’s why: most cocktails don’t require a lot of orange liqueur so your investment in this delicious spirit will go a long way.
• Whenever I make a cocktail that calls for a martini glass, I put the receptacle in the freezer. (The only reason I don’t use it in my photographs is that you can’t see the beauty of the drink through frosted glass. Boo!)
• I find that a lemon twist goes well in this cocktail. Always wash your lemons before slicing and dropping either a wedge or twist in a cocktail.

How to wash citrus and pick a good lemon

• If using a lot of lemons, place the lemons in a bowl with three cups of water and 1 cup of white vinegar. After 10 minutes, remove the lemons and run them under cold water, using a brush to scrub the skin.
• If you are just washing one lemon, use a natural, unscented hand soap and rub your hands with the soap over the lemon. Next, run cold water over the lemon as you use the brush on the skin.
• The way to pick a great lemon at the market is to first heft it in your hand. The heavier lemons have more juice than the lighter ones.
• When picking a lemon, smell it too. The more lemon fragrance, the fresher the lemon.
• Try to gauge the thickness of the rind. The thinner the rind, the more juice it will yield.
• Before juicing the lemon, roll it between your palm and a hard surface like a counter. Doing this will help release the juice.

How to make the Claridge cocktail

Pre-step

Fill a cocktail cocktail shaker halfway with ice. Get two martini glasses and cut two twists out of a washed and dried lemon. I use a channeling knife which makes it easy to get even twists.

To make a corkscrew out of the lemon garnish, wrap each twist around something thin, like a chopstick. Every well-stocked kitchen needs chopsticks.

After measuring out the ingredients, pour into the shaker.

Step one

Gather the ingredients: gin, Cointreau, dry vermouth and apricot brandy.

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Step two

Measure 3 ounces of gin.

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Step three

Measure 3 ounces of dry vermouth.

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Step four

Measure 1 ounce of Cointreau.

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Step five

Measure 1 ounce of apricot brandy.

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Step six

Cap the shaker and shake it vigorously for 15 seconds.

Divide and strain the liquid between the two martini glasses.

Step seven

Rub each rind against the rims of the glasses and drop them into the Claridge cocktail.

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Let’s look at the vertical view.

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Wahoo!  Isn’t that garnish gorgeous in the glass?

All that’s left is for me to pick up the cocktail and sip it. Yum.

I hope you enjoyed this Claridge cocktail recipe.

Other popular gin recipes

• The Bennett Cocktail
• The Negroni
• The Frenchie

What’s your favorite cocktail made from gin? Leave me a comment and let me know.

If you’ve tried this recipe, I’d love the know what you thought about it in the comments below. I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST to see more of my delicious food and delightful cocktails!

Originally published November 2017.