If you love gin, you will love our little recipe and Hanky Panky cocktail ingredients. This sweet gin martini is anything but discreet: the gin makes it a little naughty, while the sweet vermouth makes it a little nice. But it’s the addition of the Italian amaro (bitters) that gives the Hanky Panky cocktail its unique and complex flavour.
History of the Hanky Panky cocktail
The Hanky Panky recipe was created by Ada Coleman—the head bartender at the American Bar in London’s famous Savoy Hotel in the early 1900s. During her 23 years behind the bar, Coley (as she was fondly called by her glitzy customers) was lucky enough to serve various celebrities and important types, including Mark Twain, Charlie Chaplin, and even the Prince of Wales. So, it was no big deal when actor Charles Hawtrey asked her to create a cocktail with a bit of punch.
The story goes that she spent hours experimenting until the Hanky Panky cocktail ingredients eventually came together. On taking his first sip, Hawtrey exclaimed: ‘By Jove, Coley! That is the real hanky panky!’ before draining the glass. And so the name stuck, and over a hundred years later, you can still order one of the best gin cocktails ever created. Or, better yet, make one yourself.
How to make the Hanky Panky cocktail
If you’re looking for a drink to pack a punch, mix up this Hanky Panky drink for you and your friends. This cocktail should be stirred and not shaken to ensure that none of the flavours gets diluted. The orange peel twist is essential to the Hanky Panky cocktail ingredients. Hold the peel over the cocktail and twist it to get all that delicious citrus oil into your drink. For added zest, rub the peel along the rim of the glass before dropping it into the drink.
