Dubonnet Cocktail

Matthew Kelly / Supercall
Matthew Kelly / Supercall

This cocktail first made an appearance in the mid-1800s when French Foreign Legionnaires were encouraged to drink Dubonnet Rouge—a fortified wine infused with herbs, spices and quinine—to protect against malaria. But it wasn’t until the Queen Mother got her hands on the drink in the 20th century that the Dubonnet Cocktail truly took hold. The royal drinker was known to knock back a few with her lunch. Her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II, is also a fan and takes after her mother in preferring that the cocktail be made with two parts Dubonnet Rouge to one part gin. We prefer the drier, more balanced version here made with equal parts.

Dubonnet Cocktail

FLAVOR PROFILE
Dry
STRENGTH
DIFFICULTY
easy

INGREDIENTS

  • 1.5 oz gin
  • 1.5 oz Dubonnet Rouge
  • 1 dash bitters
  • lemon twist

INSTRUCTIONS

Step one

Add all ingredients save for the garnish to a mixing glass and fill with ice.

Step two

Stir until cold.

Step three

Using a julep strainer, strain into a chilled coupe glass.

Step four

Garnish with a lemon twist.

Contributed by Supercall