Hanky-Panky
Equal-parts gin and vermouth, with a wash of Fernet
About this cocktail
Created by Ada Coleman at the Savoy Hotel in London around 1903, the Hanky-Panky is gin and sweet vermouth in equal measure, knitted together by two dashes of Fernet-Branca. Coleman supposedly served the first one to actor Charles Hawtrey, who pronounced it 'the real hanky-panky.' The Fernet adds a savory, bitter herbal note that should sit just under the surface. As a freezer batch it pours straight, no ice, no fuss.
Pick a cocktail to batch
Shaken citrus drinks pick up more water from ice. Spirit-forward stirred drinks need less; freezer batches often need none.
Your Batch
Aim for around 22% ABV or higher to keep the batch pourable in the freezer.
Remove this much spirit to make room. Save it for later.
How to serve
Pour into a chilled coupe. Express an orange peel over the surface and either discard or twist and drop in.
★ Pro tips
- + Use a London Dry gin (Plymouth, Beefeater, or Tanqueray work well). Skip the floral 'new western' style here
- + Fresh sweet vermouth is critical. If your bottle has been open more than four weeks, replace it before batching
- + Two dashes of Fernet means two dashes. This is not a cocktail where Fernet leads; it whispers
! Avoid these
- − Heavy-handed Fernet (the bitterness should be a hint, not a shout)
- − Old, oxidized vermouth
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