Between the bar world’s enduring Martini madness and the fact that Negronis can now be found in every flavor, from rhubarb to panettone, the gin classics are hardly underdogs. Still, the canon has its hidden gems, whether it’s long-lost aperitivi or “minor classics.” Here are five to know.
First served for a visiting cardinal in Rome in 1950 (hence the name), the original Cardinale combined gin, white wine and Campari. Today, the wine is often swapped out for dry vermouth, which makes it “more austere and bone-dry,” according to bartender Naren Young, whose own version calls on Contratto Bitter. Another variation on the lesser-known aperitivo drink, meanwhile, is tall and sparkling thanks to Campari Soda, an Italian RTD.
“Sasha Petraske first introduced me to the Star Daisy at the OG Milk & Honey, and I’ve been captivated by it ever since,” says New York’s Joaquín Simó. With a blend of London dry gin, apple brandy and dry Curaçao, this cocktail pairs unlikely ingredients to make a drink that’s satisfying all year round. For Simó’s take on the drink, he adds simple syrup to the mix for a richer texture.
First documented in Charles H. Baker’s 1939 The Gentleman’s Companion, the Gin Fizz Tropical is, like its name suggests, a frothy, tropical drink. In Charles Phan’s version, the original’s pineapple juice is swapped out for rounder, sweeter pineapple gum syrup, and aromatic orgeat replaces heavy cream. As Phan suggests, the key to optimal froth is “to use three or four large ice cubes in your shaker and shake the drink longer than you might think necessary.”
Drinks expert Robert Simonson describes the Wibble as “neither a global phenomenon nor an obscurity,” deeming the mix of gin, sloe gin, grapefruit, lemon and crème de mûre “a minor classic.” While it’s popular in its birthplace in London, the 1990s cocktail hasn’t quite caught on beyond the city—yet. Having been spotted in Copenhagen, Gothenburg and Amsterdam, perhaps the drink is slowly making its way around the world.
New Orleans has no shortage of original drinks. Among its many classics is this Martini riff, the Obituary, which adds a few dashes of absinthe to the mix. Though the drink seems to first have gotten attention in the mid-20th century, it’s been revived at New Orleans-themed Maison Premiere in Brooklyn, where owner William Elliott has had it on the menu since the early days. The growing popularity of Martinis and absinthe has made the drink popular there, but Elliott also attributes at least part of that success to its name. “It’s one of the more eyebrow-raising names we’ve had on our menu,” he says. “When you put something [like the Obituary] on the menu, you are forcing somebody to repeat it.”
