One measure is always equal to 25ml or 1 fld oz. A cocktail ‘jigger’ pours out one measure easily.
A Dash is a always just a few drops from the bottle. Bitters etc. are called for in dashes.
THE BEST ENGLISH (& ST GEORGE’S DAY) COCKTAILS
Dragon Slayer (St George’s Cocktail)
St. George, the patron saint of England, is immortalized in the tale of Saint George and the Dragon, which is celebrated on the 23rd April. He is regarded as one of the most prominent military saints and in England he is often draped in the English flag, which is red and white, and so this cocktail reflects these colours.
We are building a little story in a glass here … for the dragon heart we need a small blackberry soaked in sloe gin, (which represents the dragon blood) and for the lance we are using a cocktail stick, for the knight’s pennant we are using a red rose petal. The drink should be mostly clear (white) for the flag, with a stain of dragon’s blood dropped in around the heart. The rose petal and rose water sugared rim also reflects the other main symbol for England, the red rose.
Ingredients: Makes 1 Drink
- 2 measures dry London gin
- 1 measure dry vermouth
- 1/4 measure fresh lemon juice
- 1 drop rose water
- Tonic water
- Splash of sloe gin (red/purple in colour)
- Small blackberries, soaked in sloe gin
- Red rose petal
Directions: Take an old fashioned rocks glass and season it with the lemon juice. Swirl to coat the inside. Discard any extra lemon juice and upturn the glass and gently rub the very tip of the glass rim in some rose water then dab gently into some icing sugar (powdered sugar) sprinkled on a plate to neatly coat the rim. Add three ice cubes and reserve the glass. Place the gin and vermouth in a Cocktail Shaker with cracked ice. Shake vigorously and then strain the mixture into the rocks glass over the ice cubes. Top off with a little tonic water. Add a splash of sloe gin (for the dragon blood) into the centre of the drink and then garnish with a small blackberry (soaked in sloe gin) skewered on the end of a cocktail stick (the lance) and add a red rose petal (the pennant) at the other end of the stick. Plunge the blackberry into the ‘blood stain’. Serve.
English Rose
Ingredients: Makes 1 Drink
- 2 measures London Dry Gin
- 1 measure Dry Vermouth
- 1 measure Apricot Brandy
- 1/2 measure lemon juice
- 1 tsp grenadine
- 1 dash rose water
- A maraschino cherry for garnish
Directions: Pour the ingredients into a Cocktail Shaker with some ice cubes. Shake well. Then strain into a chilled cocktail (martini) glass. Garnish with a maraschino cherry.
English Bulldog
Ingredients: Makes 1 Drink
- 1 & 1/2 measures London Dry Gin
- 1/2 measure Dry Vermouth
- 1/2 measure Lime Juice
- 1 tsp Orange Marmalade (rindless)
- 1 dash Orange Bitters
- Tonic water to top up
Directions: Fill a tall high-ball glass with ice cubes and set aside. Add all the ingredients (except the tonic water) into a Cocktail Shaker with some cracked ice and shake vigorously. Strain into the glass, top with tonic water, stir gently, and garnish with an orange peel.
Nelson’s Blood
This spirits drink reflects the defeat the Spanish and French suffered at the hands of Admiral Lord Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805 in which he was shot and killed, (surviving long enough to know the enemy had surrendered). Whilst dying Nelson was made comfortable, fanned and brought lemonade and watered wine to drink after he complained of feeling hot and thirsty. His last words were ‘God and my country’.
Nelson died at half-past four, three hours after he was shot, and his body was placed in a cask of brandy mixed with camphor and myrrh, (to preserve his body on the long voyage back to England) which was then lashed to the Victory’s mainmast and placed under guard. The body was later transferred to a lead-lined coffin filled with spirits and wine. Legend has it that the crew and his shipmates drank from this preserving wine and brandy, calling it ‘Nelson’s Blood’.
To make Nelsons Blood we are adding in traditional lemonade and ice cubes (to water down the fortified wine), in honour of the last things Nelson drank, and adding in the spirits he was preserved in. Honouring his victories over the Spanish and French we are using French Brandy and Spanish Port.
Cocktail Ingredients: Makes 1 Drink.
- 3 measures of (cloudy) traditional lemonade
- 1 Measure Spanish Port (Fortified Wine)
- 1 measure of French Brandy
- 1 measure of Lamb’s Dark ‘Navy’ Rum
- 1 measure fresh orange juice
- Dash orange bitters
Directions: Pour the port, brandy, rum, and orange juice and orange bitters into a cocktail shaker with cracked ice and shake. Strain into a large, wide brandy (cognac) glass, with a few ice cubes in it. Pour in the lemonade carefully to top off, then garnish with a twist of orange peel and serve.
The Blenheim (Four Score And Ten)
This is a Birthday Party Cocktail. Created for Winston Churchill’s 90th Birthday by Joe Gilmore one of the longest running Head Barmen at The Savoy Hotel’s American Bar.
Ingredients: Makes 1 Drink
- 3 measures Brandy
- 2 measures Yellow Chartreuse
- 1 measure Lillet
- 1 measure Orange Juice
- 1 measure Dubonnet
Directions: Pour the ingredients into a Cocktail Shaker together with ice, shake and strain into a cocktail (martini) glass and serve straight up (no ice).
Royal Occasion
Any occasion featuring royalty, birth’s and marriages etc.
Ingredients: Makes 2 Drinks
- 1 measure Lemon Juice
- 2 measures Cherry Brandy
- 1 measure sugar syrup
- Chilled Champagne or Sparkling White Wine to top up
- Strawberry half to garnish
Directions: Pour the lemon juice, brandy and sugar syrup into a Cocktail Shaker together with some crushed ice, shake and strain into a champagne glass, top up with chilled champagne, garnish with the strawberry half and serve.
Garden Party Pippin
Ingredients: Makes 1 Drink
- ¼ measure grenadine
- ¼ measure lemon juice
- 3 measures fresh apple juice
- 1 measure vodka
- Ginger ale (or ginger beer) to top up the glass
- Slice of lemon to garnish
Directions: Into a mixing beaker with some ice cubes add the grenadine, vodka, lemon juice and apple juice and stir well, until chilled. Strain into a tall glass, with a little crushed ice in, fill and top up with ginger ale. Garnish with a slice of lemon.
English Blackthorn
Ingredients: Makes 1 Drink
- 1 & 1/2 measures Sloe Gin
- 1 measure London Dry Gin
- 3/4 measure sweet vermouth
- 3 dashes Angostura orange bitters
- 1/2 measure Tonic water
Directions: Stir (not shake) all ingredients well with ice cubes and strain in to a cocktail (martini) glass. Garnish with a twist of orange zest.
Rolls Royce
Rolls-Royce Limited was a renowned British car and, from 1914 on, aero-engine manufacturing company founded by Charles Stewart Rolls and Henry Royce on 15 March 1906 as the result of a partnership formed in 1904. And a luxury car manufacturer needs a luxury cocktail.
Ingredients: Makes 1 Drink
- 1 measure London dry gin
- ½ measure dry vermouth
- ½ measure sweet vermouth
- ¼ measure Benedictine
- Lemon peel twist
- Cracked ice
Directions: Into a mixing beaker with some cracked ice pour the gin, vermouth and Benedictine. Stir until the cocktail is cold, then strain into a chilled cocktail (martini) glass. Garnish with a twist of lemon. Serve.
Square Mile
4 quality spirits make up the square. The Square Mile is where ‘The City’ spiritually lives, the economic power house of London and England. A place where city traders can make (or lose) millions of pounds each day. Goldschlager has little bits of gold in the drink which swirl when added to cocktails, perfect for this Square Mile.
Ingredients: Makes 1 Drink
- 1 measure Absolut Vodka
- 1 measure Grand Marnier
- 1 measure Goldschläger
- 1 measure Absinthe
- Champagne to top up
Directions: In a Cocktail Shaker pour in over cracked ice the vodka, grand marnier, (not the goldschlager) and absinthe. Shake until a frost appears on the shaker. Strain into a large chilled cocktail (martini) glass, add the goldschlager and top up with chilled champagne. Serve.