Fancy Vermouth Cocktail – Recipe below from jerry Thomas’ ‘The Bon Vivants Companion’

Use small bar glass 

Two dashes of bitters. 

One wineglass of vermouth. 

Two dashes of maraschino. 

One-quarter slice of lemon. 

FILL the glass one-quarter full of shaved ice, shake well and strain into a cocktail glass; garnish with the lemon.

This is another fine example of the difference between a vermouth cocktail, and a fancy vermouth cocktail, apparently in 1862 Fancy = Maraschino and Angostura instead of Bokers bitters, which makes me feel a little sorry for Bokers bitters.

The Maraschino does makes a instant difference, to the point where I’d now be a little loathe to try the standard, and my Bokers bitters doesn’t arrive for a few days from Amazon so it will be a while.

The drink is a nice light, flavourful cocktail, light enough to drink them by the dozen, although you won’t find me propping up a bar ordering fancy vermouth cocktail after fancy vermouth cocktail, there’s something decidedly un-masculine about the name…….