Satan’s Whiskers

There are two versions of this classic cocktail, one calling for Grand Marnier, the other using orange curacao. This recipe is considered the “straight” version, while the other is known as “curled.”

 

 

 

 

1/2 oz. gin
1/2 oz. Grand Marnier
1/2 oz. sweet vermouth
1/2 oz. dry vermouth
1/2 oz. orange juice
Dash orange bitters
Ice
Tools: shaker, strainer
Glass: cocktail

Shake ingredients on ice and strain into a chilled glass

A little History of Satan’s Whiskers……………..by Martha Rhodes 2009

Anything with Grand Marnier is a great drink. Grand Marnier is a French, cognac-based orange liqueur that is aged in oak casks. References to cocktails do date back as far as 1806. “The Balance,” an American publication stated that a “Cocktail is a stimulating liquor, composed of spirits of any kind, sugar, water, and bitters…”

The martini has and will probably always be one the world’s most famous cocktails and Satan’s Whiskers is thought of as a variation of the Bronx cocktail which is a perfect martini with orange juice. By 1900, the popularity of the martini ushered the cocktail into its heyday and during prohibition (1920-1933), cocktails became even more popular because the flavorings in the mixed drinks provided some help with the terrible taste of some of the liquor that was being smuggled into the underground drinking establishments by bootleggers.

// Unlike whiskey and other liquors, gin did not require any aging or special wood casks, so it was relatively easy to make. Gin was made with juniper berries. Gin could easily be made by mixing raw alcohol with juniper berry extract and a few other ingredients in a large container. This is where the term “Bathtub Gin” comes from. The United States remains one of the world’s largest consumers of gin.

The first recipe for Satan’s Whiskers is from 1930 in Harry Craddock’s Savoy Cocktail Book. In one article about the cocktail recipes of Hollywood, The Embassy Club, a Hollywood night spot (speakeasy), is credited for the Satan’s Whiskers cocktail recipe. Whoever invented it, it’s a great cocktail for Halloween.