Hanky Panky is a strong (28-31% vol.), well-balanced cocktail, in which the dryness and juniper notes of gin are perfectly combined with the sweetness of red vermouth and the herbal bitterness of Fernet Branca. Hanky Panky is not intended for mass consumption and is considered a drink of aesthetes, since only true connoisseurs of bar culture can understand its complex taste.
Historical information
The recipe for Hanky Panky was created in 1920 by a female bartender, Ada Coleman, who worked at the bar at the Savoy Hotel at the time.
The recipe was specially developed for London-based dramatic actor Charles Hawtrey. Upon tasting the drink for the first time, Hawtrey exclaimed, “By Jove! That is the real hanky-panky!”. This phrase can be translated as: “This is hocus pocus.” Since then, this name has stuck to the cocktail.
London bartender Harry Craddock has immortalized Hanky Punky by adding the recipe to his collection of cocktails.
Classic Hanky Panky Cocktail Recipe
Composition and proportions:
- gin – 40 ml;
- red sweet vermouth (Rosso) – 40 ml;
- Fernet Branca (Fernet Branca) – 4-6 drops.
As a red vermouth, you can take Martini Rosso or an equivalent. Fernet Branca is a bitter Italian herbal liqueur.
Preparation
1. Cool the glass for serving (cocktail glass or other).
2. Fill mixing glass with ice. Add gin, red sweet vermouth and Fernet Branca. Mix.
3. Pour the finished cocktail into a glass for serving through a strainer (bar strainer).
4. Garnish with an orange zest or cocktail cherry, if desired. Serve without a straw.
Alternative
The modern Hanky Punky cocktail by John Gertsen has slightly different proportions: 50 ml of gin, 20 of red vermouth and 8 ml of Fernet Branca. The technology of preparation does not change. The increased amount of gin made the cocktail stronger (36-38% vol.) and not so sweet.