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Cocktail History
The Adonis is a classic cocktail that was created at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City, New York after the 1884 burlesque show of the same name hit the historic milestone of five hundred showings. Similar to another vintage recipe called the Bamboo, it’s traditionally made with sherry, vermouth, and orange bitters but calls for sweet vermouth instead of dry and uses different proportions.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Sherry: This is a type of fortified wine made in Spain with palomino grapes. We used Sheffield Cellars Very Dry Sherry because it has a dry and rich wine flavor. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Non-Alcoholic Sherry Flavoring in place of the sherry.
Sweet Vermouth: This is a fortified wine made with grapes, sugar, botanicals, herbs, sugar, and alcohol. We used Dolin Vermouth de Chambery Rouge because it’s a high quality vermouth with notes of herbs, coriander, hyssop, rhubarb, and citrus. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Lyre’s Non-Alcoholic Apéritif Rosso in place of the sweet vermouth.
Orange Bitters: This is a spirit made with oranges, botanicals, herbs, and alcohol. We used Scrappy’s Bitters Orange Bitters because they offer the classic taste of citrus-flavored bitters. For a mocktail version of this drink, try All The Bitter Non-Alcoholic Orange Bitters in place of the bitters.
Orange Peel: This the peel of an orange that is cut into a strip.
Bartending Tools
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:
Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. We used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Mixing Glass: This is used to hold the ingredients while they’re being stirred. We used the Viski 17 oz Cocktail Mixing Glass.
Bar Spoon: This is used to stir ingredients. We used the Barfly Stainless Steel Teardrop Bar Spoon.
Julep Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is stirred. We used the A Bar Above Julep Strainer.
Peeler: This is used to remove the garnish peel from the citrus. We used the OXO Good Grips 2-Piece Peeler Set.
Tasting Notes
The Adonis features sherry aromas with a prevalent taste of sweet vermouth initially followed by the crisp taste of the sherry while the citrus bitters add a light and flavorful airiness to the otherwise dry drink.
Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: We think sharing its name with the Greek god of beauty and desire does the Adonis good justice. Picture a Manhattan with sherry instead of rye, and you’ve got yourself this light and flavorful beverage—a great cocktail to sip on before a Broadway musical.
Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.
Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was adapted from The Essential Cocktail Book: A Complete Guide to Modern Drinks by the editors of PUNCH and Megan Krigbaum.
Add fino sherry, sweet vermouth, orange bitters, and cubed ice in a mixing glass.
Stir for 30-45 seconds.
Strain into a cocktail glass.
Garnish with orange twist.
Ingredients
Directions
Add fino sherry, sweet vermouth, orange bitters, and cubed ice in a mixing glass.
Stir for 30-45 seconds.
Strain into a cocktail glass.
Garnish with orange twist.
Make It a Mocktail: Use Non-Alcoholic Sherry Flavoring in place of the sherry, Lyre’s Non-Alcoholic Apéritif Rosso in place of the sweet vermouth, and All The Bitter Non-Alcoholic Orange Bitters in place of the bitters to try a booze-free version of this drink.
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More Sherry Cocktails
If you like this sherry-based cocktail recipe, here are a few others we’ve tried that you may enjoy:
French Toast Flip: A sherry, Scotch, and apple brandy cocktail made with maple syrup, allspice syrup, egg white and yolk, orange and fig bitters, and ground cinnamon
Trident: An aquavit and sherry cocktail made with Cynar, peach bitters, and a lemon peel
Weeknight Wassail: An apple brandy and sherry cocktail made with apple cider, brown sugar, whole cloves, allspice berries, cinnamon sticks, ginger, and an apple slice
Cranberry Cobbler: A sherry cocktail made with cranberry syrup, orange slices, an orange wedge, mint, and cranberries
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