Savoy Serenade

This delightful cocktail, named after the iconic Savoy Hotel in London, was created by Ada Coleman, the head bartender at the American Bar in the early 1900s. The Savoy Serenade is a sweet 50/50 martini that harmoniously blends equal parts gin and sweet vermouth, and is finished with a hint of the bittersweet Italian amaro Fernet-Branca. This sophisticated libation offers a perfect balance of flavors, making it a timeless classic in the world of mixology.

Savoy Serenade

A classic 50/50 martini cocktail with a touch of bittersweetness from Italian amaro, creating a harmonious and timeless libation.

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Ingredients

  • Ice
  • 1 1/2 oz. gin
  • 1 1/2 oz. sweet vermouth
  • 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. fernet, such as Fernet-Branca, Contratto Fernet, or Faccia Brutto Fernet Pianta
  • 1 (2-inch-long) piece of orange peel, for serving

Instructions

  1. Chill a coupe or Nick and Nora glass in the freezer for at least 15 minutes or up to an hour, or fill the glass with ice and water, stir for 30 seconds, pour out the ice and water, and pour the finished drink into the now-chilled glass.
  2. In a cocktail shaker or mixing glass filled with ice, combine the gin, vermouth, and fernet.
  3. Stir the mixture until very cold, about 30 seconds, then strain it into the chilled cocktail glass.
  4. Hold the orange peel by its long edges, skin facing down into the glass, and pinch the peel to express the citrus oils into the glass. Finally, garnish the cocktail with the orange peel.