Hanky Panky
Hanky Panky is a spirit-forward classic with the silky richness of sweet vermouth, the dryness of gin, and a distinctive bitter herbal lift from Fernet-Branca. Finished with fragrant orange oils, it is elegant, brisk, and intriguingly complex.
Ingredients
Cocktail
- 90 mlgin
- 90 mlsweet vermouth
- 10 mlFernet-Branca
- 200 gice cubes
Garnish
- 2 stripsorange peel
Instructions
- 1
Chill 2 small cocktail glasses or coupes if possible. Fill a mixing glass with the ice cubes.
- 2
Pour the gin, sweet vermouth, and Fernet-Branca over the ice.
- 3
Stir smoothly for 20-30 seconds until the mixture is thoroughly chilled and slightly diluted. The outside of the mixing glass should feel very cold; avoid over-stirring so the drink stays balanced.
- 4
Strain evenly into the 2 chilled glasses.
- 5
Express each strip of orange peel over a glass by twisting it skin-side down to release its oils, then drop in or discard, as you prefer. Serve immediately.
Nutrition per serving
Notes
- •Use a good-quality Italian sweet vermouth; its herbal sweetness is central to the drink.
- •A large, dense ice cube or fresh hard ice gives better chilling with less dilution.
- •For a slightly drier version, reduce the sweet vermouth to 75 ml total.
- •If you do not have chilled glasses, fill them with ice and water for 1 minute, then empty before straining the drink.
Background
The Hanky Panky was created in the early 20th century by Ada Coleman at the American Bar of The Savoy in London. Though not originally from Italy, it is deeply tied to Italian drinking culture through its defining use of sweet vermouth and Fernet-Branca, both classic Italian ingredients.
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