I love the old cocktails, it’s interesting to rehash the drinks from the 1800s. The Marguerite Cocktail recipe is the precursor to the modern Martini. Heavy on the vermouth with a dash of orange bitters, this is actually one of my favorite Martini style cocktails.

According to Elemental Mixology, the first time this recipe shows up in print is 1903 in Tim Daly’s 1903 book, Daly’s Bartenders Encyclopedia. And it reads as:

1900s Marguerite Cocktail recipe:

• Use a mixing glass
• Half fill with fine ice.
• 2 dashes of orange bitters.
• 1 dash of orange curacao.
• ½ wineglass of French vermouth. [1 fl-oz.]
• ½ wineglass of Plymouth Gin. [1 fl-oz.]
• Stir well with spoon, strain into a cocktail glass, twist a piece of lemon peel on top, and serve.

That seemed a little too heavy on the vermouth for me, so I prefer a ratio of 2:1. Which I guess, if we’re being technical, just makes it an original (not dry) Martini.

Since we have to stir Gin, rather than shake, I do on occasion, make this with vodka in order to pulverize the orange peel in the shaker. In this case, I like to peel an entire orange and put the rind in the shaker with the ice and liquor, shake it so the ice beats up the orange peel and it gives the drink a really amazing orange flavor.

I’ll put both recipes up, try them both to decide which is your favorite. Muddling an orange peel is a nice alternative to the orange bitters in the Gin recipe.

Gin Marguerite Cocktail Recipe:

INGREDIENTS makes two:

• 4 Ounces Gin
• 2 Ounces Dry Vermouth
• 2 Dashes Orange Bitters

-Stir all ingredients in a glass over ice, serve in a chilled coupe

For the Vodka Marguerite Cocktail recipe:

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 Ounce Vodka
• 2 Ounces Dry Vermouth
• 1 Orange, the entire peel (zest)

PROCESS:

-Peel an orange with a vegetable peeler

-Place all ingredients in a shaker with ice

-Shake until ice cold, serve in a chilled coupe

Cheers!