Vintage British Cocktails

YOU CAN FIND INSPIRATION in some of the most vintage places. We found this promotional sheet tucked into one of our British cocktail books from the early 1940s. The sheet proudly states that Booth's Distilleries was the gin distiller to the late King George VI, who had died on 6 February 1952 and was succeeded by his daughter Queen Elizabeth II.

Although it's next to impossible to find Booth's High & Dry in the United States, you can experiment with these tasty libations using Plymouth Gin or Boodle's Gin.

[NOTE: Excuse the punctuation and odd capitalizations, these are transcribed literally from the original text.]

Alaska Cocktail

1/3 Yellow Chartreuse, 2/3 Booth's Dry Gin

Astoria Cocktail

1 dash Orange Bitters, 2/3 Booth's Dry Gin, 1/3 French Vermouth. Serve with a stuffed Olive.

Bloodhound Cocktail

1/3 Booth's Dry Gin, 1/3 French Vermouth, 1/3 Italian Vermouth, 2 or 3 Strawberries. Shake well, and strain.

Broken Spur Cocktail

1 yolk of a Fresh Egg, 1/6 Booth's Dry Gin, 1/6 Italian vermouth, 2/3 White Port, I teaspoonful Anisette.

Bronx Cocktail

1/3 Booth's Dry Gin, 1/3 French Vermouth, 1/3 Italian Vermouth, the juice of a quarter of an Orange.

Bronx Terrace Cocktail

2/3 Booth's Dry Gin, 1/3 French Vermouth, juice of half a Lime.

Bull Dog

Put 2 or 3 lumps of Ice in a large tumbler, add the juice of I Orange, I glass of Booth's Dry Gin. Fill balance with Ginger Ale. Stir, and serve with a straw.

Bunny's Hug

1/3 Booth's Dry Gin 1/3 Scotch Whisky, 1/3 Absinthe.

Champagne Cocktail

In a wineglass put 1 lump of Sugar saturated with Angostura Bitters, add 1 lump of Ice, fill the glass with Champagne, squeeze a piece of lemon peel on top, stir, and serve.

Champagne Cup

Put 2 or 3 lumps of Ice in a large jug and add I liqueur of Brandy, 1 liqueur of Maraschino, 1 liqueur of Curacao, 1 bottle of Champagne, I bottle of Soda Water. Stir well, and decorate with fruits in season and two sprigs of fresh mint and a slice of cucumber peel.

Cliftonian (Winner of 1935 Cocktail Competition)

3/8 Booth's Dry Gin, 3/8 Grand Mamier, 1/8 Caloric Punch, 1/8 Orange Juice. Use Shaker.

Clover Club Cocktail

1 white of Fresh Egg, juice of small Lime (or 1/4 Lemon), 1 teaspoonful Raspberry Syrup, 1/3 Booth's Dry Gin, 1/6 Italian Vermouth. (Note.--In London for some time it has been the custom to serve Grenadine instead of Raspberry.)

Colonial Cocktail

2/3 Booth's Dry Gin, 1/3 Juice of Grape Fruit, 1 dash of Maraschino.

Cooperstown CocktaiI

1/3 French Vermouth, 2/3 Booth's Dry Gin, 2 sprigs of Fresh Mint.

Cream Fizz

1 glass of Booth's Dry Gin, juice of 1 Lemon, 1 teaspoonful Sugar or Gomme; and last, 1 teaspoonful of Fresh Cream. Shake well, strain into wineglass and squirt of soda on top.

Derby Cocktail

2 dashes Peach and Bitters, one sprig of Fresh Mint, 1 glass Booth's Dry Gin. Stir and strain into cocktail glass. Serve with olive.

Desert Healer

Juice of 1 Orange, 1 glass of Booth's Dry Gin, 1/2 glass of Cherry Brandy. Shake well, strain into large tumbler and fill balance with Ginger Beer.

Diabola CocktaiI

2/3 Dubonnet, 1/3 Booth's Dry Gin, 2 dashes of Orgeat Syrup.

Eton Blazer

In a large tumbler put 3 or 4 lumps of Ice, the juice of one Lemon, 1 glass of Booth's Dry Gin, 1/2 glass Groseille Syrup, 1/2 glass of Kirsch. Fill balance with Soda, stir well and serve with straws.

Fairbank Cocktail

2 dashes of Creme de Noyau, 2 dashes of Orange Bitters, 1/3 French Vermouth, 2/3 Booth's Dry Gin.

Fourth Degree Cocktail

1/3 Booth's Dry Gin, Serve with stuffed Olive. 1/3 French Vermouth, 1/3 Italian Vermouth, 4 dashes of Absinthe.

"Golden Dawn" (A winning Cocktail)

1/4 Orange Juice, 1/4 Apricot Brandy, 1/4 Calvadas, 1/4 Booth's Gin and a dash of Grenadine.

Gilroy Cocktail

1/3 Booth's Dry Gin, 1/3 Noilly Prat, 1/6 Cherry Brandy, 1/6 Kirsch. Shake well. Strain into cocktail glass.

Gin Cocktail

1 teaspoonful of Gomme Syrup, 2 dashes of Orange Bitters, 2 dashes of Angostura Bitters, remainder of Booth's Dry Gin. Shake well and serve with Cherry.

Gin Fizz

1 teaspoonful of Sugar or Syrup of Gomme, the juice of 1 Lemon, 1 glass of Booth's Dry Gin. Shake well, strain into medium-sized tumbler, and fill up with Soda Water.

Gin Highball

Booth's Dry Gin and Soda, Whisky, 1/3 Absinthe.

Gin Rickey

Put 1 lump of Ice in a tumbler, cut a fresh Lime in half and squeeze the juice in the glass, and add 1 glass of Booth's Dry Gin, and fill balance with Seltzer or Soda Water.

John Collins

Put 3 or 4 lumps of Ice in a large tumbler, juice of 1 lemon, 2,teaspoonfuls of Sugar, 1 glass of Booth's Dry Gin. Fill balance with Soda Water.

Lone Tree Cocktail

1/3 Booth's Dry Gin, 1/3 Italian Vermouth, 1/3 French Vermouth. Squeeze Orange Peel in shaker.

Maiden's Blush Cocktail

2/3 Booth's Dry Gin, 1/3 Oxygenee Cusenier or Absinthe, 1 teaspoonful of Grenadine.

Mamay Taylor

Put 1 slice of Lemon in a large tumbler, add. 2 pieces of Ice, 1 glass of Booth's Dry Gin, 1 bottle of Schweppes' Ginger Ale, and stir slightly.

Manhattan Cocktail

1 dash of Angostura Bitters, 2/3 Rye Whiskey, 1/3 Italian Vermouth. Shake well, strain into cocktail glass, with Cherry.

Martini (Dry)

2/3 Booth's Dry Gin, 1/3 French Vermouth, 1 dash Orange Bitters. Shake well and strain into cocktail glass.

Martini (Medium)

1/2 Booth's Dry Gin, 1/4 French Vermouth, 1/4 Italian Martini Vermouth.

Martini (Sweet)

1/3 Martini Italian Vermouth, 2/3 Booth's Dry Gin, 1 dash Gomme Syrup. Shake well and strain into cocktail glass, with a Cherry.

Mayfair Cocktail

1/2 Booth's Dry Gin, 1/2 Orange juice, 3 or 4 dashes Apricot Syrup, flavoured with a little Clove Syrup.

Mint Julep

1 teaspoonful of Sugar, 1/2 wineglass of Water or Soda, 3 or 4 sprigs of Fresh Mint. Muddle well until flavour of Mint is well extracted; then take out Mint and add 2 glasses of old Bourbon Whiskey. Fill tumbler with fine shaved Ice, stir well until glass gets frosted, then take some sprigs of Mint and insert them in the Ice with stem downwards, so that the leaves will be on the surface, in the shape of a bouquet. Add slice of orange, lemon, pineapple and cherries on top.

Montana Cocktail

2 dashes of Anisette, 3 dashes Orange Bitters, 1/2 French Vermouth, 1/2 Booth's Sloe Gin. Shake well and strain into cocktail glass, and squeeze lemon peel on top.

Opera Cocktail

2/3 Booth's Dry Gin, 1/6 Dubonnet, 1/6 Liqueur of Mandarine. Shake well and strain into cocktail glass, and squeeze orange peel on top.

Orange Blossom

Juice of 1 Orange, 1 glass of Booth's Dry Gin. Shake well and strain into small wineglass.

Pall Mall CocktaiI

1 teaspoonful White Mint, 1 dash Orange Bitters, 1/3 Italian Vermouth, 1/3 French Vermouth, 1/3 Booth's Dry Gin.

Paradise Cocktail

1/3 Booth's Dry 1/3 Apricot Brandy, 1/3 Orange juice.

Parisian Cocktail

1/3 Booth's Dry 1/3 French Vermouth, 1/3 Cassis.

Perfect Cocktail

1/3 Booth's Dry Gin, 1/3 Italian Vermouth, 1/3 French Vermouth. Shake well, strain into cocktail glass, squeeze orange peel on top.

Prairie Oyster Cocktail

Put 2 spoonfuls of Worcester Sauce, drop the yolk of a Fresh Egg without breaking, add a little red Pepper and Salt on that and pour 2 spoonfuls of malt Vinegar on top.

Pink Lady Cocktail

1 white of a Fresh Egg, 2 teaspoonfuls of Grenadine, 1/6 Brandy, 1/3 Booth's Dry Gin. Shake well and strain into cocktail glass.

Pink Rose Cocktail

1 white of a Fresh Egg, 1 teaspoonful Grenadine, 1 teaspoonful Lemon juice, 1 teaspoonful Fresh Cream; 2/3 Booth's Dry qin. Shake well and strain into cocktail glass.

Plaza Cocktail

1/3 Booth's Dry Gin, 1/3 Italian Vermouth, 1/3 French Vermouth, 1 chunk fresh Pineapple. Shake well and strain into cocktail glass with a small chunk Pineapple.

Queen's Cocktail

1 chunk of Pineapple, I slice of Orange, in the shaker. Add Ice, 1/3 Italian Vermouth, 1/3 French Vermouth, 1/3 Booth's Dry Gin. Shake well and strain into cocktail glass.

Red Lion

1/3 Booth's Dry Gin, 1/3 Grand Marnier, 1/6 Orange juice, 1/6 Lemon juice.

ROYAL ROMANCE COCKTAlL

1/2 Booth's Dry Gin, 1/4 Grand Marnier, 1/4 "Pash" Passion Fruit Juice, dash of Grenadine.

Silver Cocktail

1 white of Fresh Egg, 1 teaspoonful of Orgeat Syrup, 2 dashes of Maraschino, 1 dash of Orange Bitters, 1/3 French Vermouth, 1/3 Booth's Dry Gin.

Snowball Cocktail

1/6 Creme de Violette, 1/6 White Creme de Menthe, 1/6 Anisette, 1/6 Fresh Cream, 1/3 Booth's Dry Gin. Shake well and strain into cocktail glass.

White Lady

1/2 Booth's Dry Gin, 1/4 Cointreau 1/4 Fresh lemon juice. Shake well and strain into cocktail glass.

Yokohama Cocktail

1 dash Absinthe, 1/6 Grenadine, 1/6 Vodka, 1/3 Orange juice, 1/3 Booth's Dry Gin.

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The Shaken Not Stirred Blog

Saturday, April 23, 2005

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