Hanky Panky: The Story Of The Gin-Based Cocktail
By Sushmita Sengupta
Hanky Panky is a popular gin-based cocktail, which is a variation of Sweet Martini but with Fernet-Branca, a bitter Italian digestivo.
The Origin Story
The drink was a brainchild of Ada Coleman, a bartender at the Savoy Hotel who made cocktails for many famous personalities such as Mark Twain, the Prince of Wales, Prince Wilhelm of Sweden, and Sir Charles Hawtrey.
The Secret Ingredient
Hanky Panky was created for Hawtrey, a Victorian and Edwardian actor. The drink was a version of a sweet Martini made with gin and sweet vermouth but Ada’s secret ingredient, Fernet-Branca, made all the difference.
Ingredients
1 1/2 ounces gin 1 1/2 ounces sweet vermouth 2 dashes Fernet-Branca 1 dash orange juice Orange peel, for garnish
Step 1
In a mixing glass filled with ice, pour the gin, sweet vermouth, and Fernet-Branca.
Step 2
Add orange juice. Stir well, for at least 30 seconds. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
Step 3
Twist an orange peel over the drink, lay it over the rim as a garnish.