I got nothin’ for history on this one, but it sure tastes good.
Sleepy Hollow
- 2 ounces gin
- 1/2 ounce lemon juice
- 1/4 ounce apricot brandy
- 1/4 ounce simple syrup
- 1 sprig fresh mint
Muddle mint in mixing glass, add ingredients & shake well with ice. Double strain into chilled glass.
The recipe for this relative of the Southside comes from CocktailDB; I found a similar version in David Embury’s The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks, and in the Esquire Drink Book from 1956. These recipes called for 2 1/2 ounces gin, 1 ounce of lemon and quarter-ounce each of the apricot and syrup. This just seems very dry to me, and especially since the first (and second) time I made this drink I used the CocktailDB recipe, I quite enjoyed the result and didn’t see any reason to switch.
One other note on sweetness: for the apricot brandy, I’m using the Giffard Abricot du Roussillon, a product that I think is absolutely fantastic, in no small part because it actually smells and tastes like fresh apricots, and not what a flavor chemist has determined apricots taste like. I believe the Giffard packs less of a sugary punch than does something like a Bols apricot brandy, so I found myself adding just a touch more to this recipe — the matter of a teaspoon or so. If you’re using one of the big-brand apricot brandies, you may wish to adjust the proportions, or even go with the drier Embury/Esquire version. Either way, it’s worth the exploration.
Could be a new favorite.
Mmmm yes, Giffard liqueurs are so much nicer than the likes of Bols or DeKrupyer aren’t they. I have their Framboise D’Anjou (rasberry), and it really tastes of rasberries, rather than, as you say, a sugary artifical aproximation.
The reason why Giffard products taste so great is because they DO actually use real fruit, macerated in grain alcohol. I’ve had the pleasure of visiting their distillery, and they have different tanks for different fruits (ie some slowly roll, some are static, some squeeze with an air bladder). They also add other produce to add complexity (vanilla beans, flowers, etc) but again naturally. Because the products are natural, it is suggested that you refrigerate after opening to prolong life.
So Paul, how was Vancouver? (I assume that’s how you got the Giffard product?)
This is a wonderful cocktail, Paul. I used Marie Brizard Apry with fabulous results.
I think it’s almost a bit too minty. Then again, my mint barrel outside has enormous leaves (2-3″ x 1 1/2″). In some drinks the definition of “sprig” doesn’t tend to matter, but the delicate balance of this drink can be shattered with too much.
How big is your sprig?
More people should know about this enchanting cocktail that’s somewhere between a Pendennis club(without bitters) and a Southside(with apricot liqueur). The proportions I use are as follows:
2oz gin
1/2oz Apry
1/2oz simple
1oz lemon juice
8-10 mint leaves
I also add the flourish of flaming a perfectly round piece of lemon peel into the drink to strengthen the link between the cocktail and the classic story from which it derives its name.