East India

A very old drink with nascent whiffs of the tiki formula

NO 65
NO 65
East India cocktail photo

Recipe

Instructions

  1. Combine all ingredients with ice in a mixing glass and stir
  2. Strain into a coupe; serve up
  3. Garnish with a lemon peel and optionally, a cherry

Pineapple Syrup

  • 1cup cane sugar
  • 1cup water
  • 1cup cubed pineapple

Instructions

  1. Heat water to a boil and combine with cane sugar, making a simple syrup
  2. In a bowl, cover the cubed pineapple with the syrup and refrigerate overnight
  3. The next day, run the contents through a fine strainer.
Let's be far away friends

Instagram is a great way to get updates on new cocktails and keep up with everyone’s favorite redheads

Adapted From

Bartender's Manual, Harry Johnson, 1882

The East India first hit printed pages in 1882, published in the New and Improved version of Harry Johnson’s famous bartenders manual. It’s a beautiful drink, eternalized during a period of rapid change in bartending. Like other pre-prohibition drinks in the improved style, the East India gently spiffs up a base spirit with dashes of various fixings. More fashionably, the drink is served up, a style that was rocketing to popularity through vermouth-based drinks like the Manhattan and Martini. Johnson updated the recipe in his 1900 edition, adding a peripheral sentence: “a great favorite with the English living in the different parts of East India.” He also made several alterations, replacing raspberry syrup with pineapple syrup and swapping Boker's bitters for Angostura. The original recipe requests only a lemon twist; in the second he gets creative, suggesting a “cherry or medium sized olive”.

The East India is an excellent and offbeat alternative to other very old cocktails. Pineapple syrup, brandy, and curacao work together for a round and fruity taste that rolls over the tongue. It’s a subtle yet intoxicating switch from the spicy and medicinal flavors seemingly inherent to drinks of the time. Some debate exists over which sweetener to use, as Johnson changed the recipe between 1882 and 1890. We think Johnson switched to pineapple syrup for good reason; the stuff has a fruity and complex aroma that brings an element of surprise and delight. Pineapple syrup isn’t hard to make, and we’ve included a recipe for it here. If raspberry syrup is on hand, that will work too. If you own a decent brandy, this is certainly the time to use it; in the words of Paul Clarke: “you’re basically getting dressed-up liquor here.” The 1900 version of this recipe suggests an olive garnish, but that is a gross idea. Always use a lemon twist, indulging in a cherry when the day prescribes it.

The Tasty Mail

The Tuxedo No.2 email list sends a yummy cocktail to your inbox every friday. No spam. No junk. Just tasty.

Cocktails A-Z: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Edit