Union League – Recipe from the ‘Old Waldorf Bar Guide’

Dash of Orange Bitters 

One-third Port Wine 

One-third Tom Gin 

Stir; strain

I watched the justice league the other day which might have been why I chose this drink, the good news being its light years better than the movie which is 2 hours of watching fat batman that I’ll never get back.

The Union league Club, which I’m guessing this drink was invented at, has sat at the corner of 37^th and park since 1931, and is the clubs 4^th and potentially final home. Its origins lie in the Union of Northern States opposed to the Confederacy, and it was first located across from Union Square, the image below showing the outfitting of two African-American regiments during the middle of the war, later the club members were to march with them to the outskirts of New York cheering them off as they departed for the south.

When I first tried the drink it just came across as way to sweet, part of me wonders about the measurements and if there’s something else in there, I suspect that one-third may refer to a third of something, as opposed to the obvious, its not the first time dodgy math has reared its head in the Waldorf.

I remade it, upping the gin to twice as much gin as port and something wonderful happened, the sweetness was kept at bay, and all these wonderful port flavours married perfectly with the gin to make something quite delicious. This is well worth a try.