Adonis (à la Oloroso)

By Rebekah Peppler

Total Time: 5 minutes, plus chilling
Rating: 4(84)
Notes: Read community notes

A 19th-century classic, the stirred, vermouth-forward Adonis was invented at the Waldorf Astoria’s bar in New York and named after a Broadway musical. A classic Adonis is often made with a lighter fino or manzanilla sherry. Swapping in oloroso here further deepens the drink’s rich flavor and silky texture, making it an ideal, low-A.B.V. cold weather apéritif. If you prefer to use a lighter sherry, shift the proportions to 1½ ounces sweet vermouth and 1½ ounces fino or manzanilla sherry.

Featured in: Make Vermouth the Star

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Ingredients

Yield:1 cocktail

Ice
2ounces sweet vermouth
1ounce oloroso sherry
2dashes orange bitters
1orange peel

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Step 1
Place a coupe or Nick and Nora glass in the freezer to chill for at least 15 minutes and up to an hour. (Alternatively, fill the coupe with ice and water, stir for 30 seconds, pour out the ice and water, and pour in the drink into the now-chilled glass.)
Step 2
In a cocktail shaker or mixing glass filled with ice, combine the vermouth, sherry and orange bitters. Stir until very cold, then strain into the chilled cocktail glass. Hold the orange peel by its long edges, skin facing down into the glass. Pinch the peel to express the citrus oils in and garnish with the orange peel.

Ratings

4 out of 5

84 user ratings

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

Joe3 years ago

It’s wonderful after 20 minutes in the freezer. For me, all vermouth has an edge. Also, as in the photo, a peeled orange slice, no membrane, is a nice touch. Save the peel for the rim of the glass.

A bar in Tempe, Australia1 year ago

Ooooh, this or a negroni? Going to be hard to choose between the two, or that 3rd option, a sherry negroni. I used Mancino Rosso Amaranto vermouth & an Australian Oloroso sherry from Pennyweight made with biodynamic grapes in Beechworth, Victoria. Dash of Angostura orange bitters. Perfect at 5pm on a scorching hot March Friday. Salut! 🥃

Leyla3 years ago

Can you share where the glasses in this picture are from please?

J Scrapple3 years ago

So, this looked so good. And then I realized I had only port, not sherry. Substituted half port half dry vermouth for the sherry portion. Then made as directed. Excellent! Will grab some sherry to try as written.

Joe3 years ago

It’s wonderful after 20 minutes in the freezer. For me, all vermouth has an edge. Also, as in the photo, a peeled orange slice, no membrane, is a nice touch. Save the peel for the rim of the glass.

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