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Who's up for a bit of Hanky Panky?
Oct 22, 2019
If you love the sumptuous, rich, deep delights that can be found when mixing gin and red vermouth (also known as sweet vermouth) in cocktails like a Negroni or a Martinez then you are going to love this beautiful Hanky Panky cocktail recipe!
Combining just three key ingredients and served in a martini glass, this classic cocktail recipe is incredibly easy to make at home. So what are you waiting for? Give it a go!
When was the Hanky Panky created?
The Hanky Panky was first created in 1903 at The Savoy Hotel in London by bartender Ada ‘Coley’ Coleman.
The first-ever female bartender of The Savoy, Ada is one of the most fascinating figures in the history of mixology! She started working at the hotel in 1903 and spent the next 23 years mixing world-class drinks for the likes of Mark Twain, Charlie Chaplin, Marlene Dietrich and members of the royal family.
According to Coley, the famous actor Charles Hawtrey inspired her to create the Hanky Panky. In 1925 she spoke about her experience inventing the Hanky Panky for Hawtrey:
He [Charles Hawtry] used to come to the bar and say, ‘Coley, I am tired. Give me something with a bit of punch in it.’ It was for him that I spent hours experimenting until I had invented a new cocktail. The next time he came in, I told him I had a new drink for him. He sipped it and, draining the glass, he said, ‘By Jove! That is the real hanky panky!’ And Hanky Panky it has been called ever since.
— Ada ‘Coley’ Coleman
What does Hanky Panky mean?
While today the term “hanky panky” has developed playful, sexual connotations, in 1903, when the cocktail was invented, “hanky panky” was a slang term for magic or witchcraft. This gorgeous cocktail has been bewitching gin drinkers from that first moment on!
What ingredients are used in a Hanky Panky cocktail recipe?
The Hanky Panky is made using just three key ingredients: gin, Fernet Branca and red (sweet) vermouth.
For the gin: we recommend using a craft gin with citrus notes and touches of spice, which work brilliantly with the rich vermouth and bittersweet herb flavours of the Fernet Branca. Gins like Tarquin’s Cornish Dry Gin and Cuckoo Signature Gin are perfect!
For the red vermouth: we recommend something with a beautiful balance of herb and wine flavours, that’s not too sweet or too bitter. Punt E Mes or Bordiga Vermut Rosso are fantastic in this recipe!
What is Fernet Branca? First created in 1845, in the Italian city of Milan by the herbalist Bernardino Branca, Fernet Branca is an amaro liqueur made with a mix of herbs and citrus fruit including bitter orange, saffron, chamomile and gentian. Its taste is that of rich, bittersweet herbs and spices.
The perfect Hanky Panky cocktail recipe:
50ml gin
50ml sweet vermouth
5ml Fernet Branca
Orange zest twist, to garnish
Add your gin, vermouth and liqueur to a mixing glass with ice. Stir well and strain into a coupe or a martini glass. Garnish and enjoy.
Top Tip: Mixologists will sometimes add a dash of fresh orange juice to this classic cocktail.
