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Cocktail History
The Elephants Sometimes Forget is a vintage cocktail that was created by Crosby Gaige in the 1930s and was first published in his book Cocktail Guide & Ladies’ Companion in 1941. The origin of its whimsical name is unknown, but the recipe is traditionally made with the unique combination of gin, cherry brandy, citrus, and vermouth.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Gin: This is a spirit made with juniper berries, botanicals, and alcohol. We used Prairie Organic Spirits Navy Strength Gin because it has a high alcohol content and features notes of lemon zest, angelica root, and blended spices. For a mocktail version of this drink, try MONDAY Zero Alcohol Gin in place of the gin.
Cherry Brandy: This is a type of brandy made with cherries, spices, sugar, and alcohol. We used Door County Distillery Cherry Brandy because it has a clean, complex taste with notes of vanilla and florals. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Amoretti Premium Kirsch Syrup in place of the cherry brandy.
Lemon Juice: This is the liquid juice of an lemon. We used freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Dry Vermouth: This is a fortified wine made with grapes, sugar, botanicals, herbs, sugar, and alcohol. We used Dolin Dry Vermouth de Chambéry because it has a light and airy flavor profile with notes of Alpine herbs. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Lyre’s Non-Alcoholic Apéritif Dry in place of the dry vermouth.
Orange Bitters: This is a food product made with oranges, botanicals, herbs, and alcohol. We used Angostura Orange Bitters. For a mocktail version of this drink, try All The Bitter Non-Alcoholic Orange Bitters in place of the orange bitters.
Lemon Twist: This is the peel of a lemon that has been twisted into a corkscrew shape.
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.
Boston Shaker: This is used to shake ingredients. We used the Boston shaker from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Hawthorne Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is shaken. We used the A Bar Above Hawthorne Strainer.
Paring Knife: This is used to cut ingredients. We used the OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife.
Juicer: This is used to juice citrus. We used the ALEEHAI Manual Fruit Juicer.
Peeler: This is used to remove the garnish peel from the citrus. We used the OXO Good Grips 2-Piece Peeler Set.
Tasting Notes
Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: We thought this drink is one of those that you may not like at first, but the longer you sip it, the more you crave another taste because the tart, dry flavors are so fascinating. If we made the Elephants Sometimes Forget again, we’d probably use a bit less lemon, but other than that, we highly recommend trying this one if you’ve never had it before.
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 Art of Vintage Cocktails by Stephanie Rosenbaum.
Add gin, cherry brandy, lemon juice, dry vermouth, orange bitters, and cubed ice to a shaker.
Shake for 10-20 seconds.
Strain into a cocktail glass.
Garnish with lemon twist.
Ingredients
Directions
Add gin, cherry brandy, lemon juice, dry vermouth, orange bitters, and cubed ice to a shaker.
Shake for 10-20 seconds.
Strain into a cocktail glass.
Garnish with lemon twist.
Make It a Mocktail: Use MONDAY Zero Alcohol Gin in place of the gin, Amoretti Premium Kirsch Syrup in place of the cherry brandy, Lyre’s Non-Alcoholic Apéritif Dry in place of the dry vermouth, and All The Bitter Non-Alcoholic Orange Bitters in place of the orange bitters to try a booze-free version of this drink.
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More Gin Cocktails
If you like this gin-based cocktail recipe, here are a few others we’ve tried that you may enjoy:
Bramble: A gin cocktail made with lemon juice, blackberry syrup, blackberries, and a lemon wedge
Winter Berry Gin Fizz: A gin cocktail made with lime juice, cranberry syrup, raspberry liqueur, soda water, cranberries, and rosemary
Water Lily: A gin cocktail made with triple sec, crème de violette, lemon juice, and an orange peel
Florodora: A gin cocktail made with lime juice, raspberry syrup, simple syrup, ginger ale, a lime slice, and raspberries
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