Simon Difford

That's a somewhat improved Whiskey and Coke I guess, but I fail to see how that relates to a Spritz...

I completely agree! No wine element, so not a Spritz. I’ve renamed it and removed it from the Spritz area.

We were about to post a comment and then noticed yours. We're curious as to why our good host rates this drink more highly than Christine Wiseman's. We love them both but prefer Wiseman's for its brightness and purity of expression, retaining (with the Triple Sec) the Margarita's ancestral link to the Sidecar. For us, Tommy's, using a Reposado and with the increased Agave, is a more solemn drink (if that's possible with a Margarita), enlivened only by the Bitters, which are optional.

Tommy’s was trendsetting while Wiseman’s is a riff. The Curaçao Margarita is the future:
https://www.diffordsguide.com/cocktails/recipe/39403/curacao-margarita
Don't skip the bitters!

Shouldn't it be stirred, or have the ice put into the glass after pouring the ingredients in?

Thanks, Philip. I've added an instruction to stir.

Just noticed a version without Raspberry in the 1888 Bartender's Manual by Proulx

"In a cobbler glass, syrup and lemon juice as in a punch, one slice of orange and one of pineapple, one-half pony of curacoa, one jigger of St. Croix rum, fill with ice and straws"

Many thanks, Alex. I've added Proulx's recipe above.

Good cocktail, although we prefer a clover club. How can oneget this white foam? We used de Kuypers grenadine (very coloured) and got red foam.

I used Monin Grenadine and Vegg White. The flash from photography may brighten the whiteness.

Hi Andrew. I like the added spoon of agave, even with a touch more falernum. However, it's your recipe, so in your hands.

Hi Andrew. I've now tried with 3 different falernums, including Difford's, and I agree. Better without the agave and 7.5ml (1/4oz) falernum. I've amended the recipe accordingly.

The other was reading the 'Club Dumas' of Reverte, and I find there the 'Bols' -Genever- now I love it. Now is the Sage Gin... impossible to get, but I made the infussion with the Sage bought at the Mercado de Sonora the biggest herbolaria -apothecary market. Is very strong. Lovely, don't know why but it taste very boozy, strong. Maybe I went too far in the gin -my curse-.

For sage gin, best use Engine Gin if available where you are.

I'm curious about the spec changes from Ivy's original, notably halving the Curaçao and adding the 10 ml of 2:1. What was the thinking?

(For purists arriving here, she also names ChiChi and Appleton Reserve; appreciating they are not part of the supportive 'green gang').

Indeed! Looks like an error. I have corrected and added a note with the original recipe specs.

Hi Simon, I wonder if we could omit any agave syrup and up the Velvet Falernum to 1/4? I find it works perfectly whether limes or lemons are used. I'd love to know what you think. Cheers!

Hi Andrew. I like the added spoon of agave, even with a touch more falernum. However, it's your recipe, so in your hands.

Good, but a bit boring. Used regular Cointreau as I didn't have the "l'Unique" version. Also, I don't understand why there would be lime cordial AND sugar syrup...seems redundant. I omitted the sugar syrup & it was sweet enough. Might try to zhuzh it up next time, though there are so many other recipes, why bother?!

Regular Cointreau is now called Cointreau L'Unique, so you used the right liqueur. Thanks for the feedback on sugar syrup; something others agree with below. I found the cocktail too tart without syrup, but I have halved the measure.

It was at The Oak Tree Inn in Balmaha. Unfortunately I didn't ask for the recipe, but I'd imagine equal parts of everything minus the bitters.
I'll need to experiment when I get back home.

Please let us know the result of your experimentation.

Probably meant Famous Last Word No. 3

Yes! Should have been Famous Last Word No. 3. Silly mistake! Now corrected.

Thank you Simon, not only for today but for all work you put in this site.
As the german cocktail magazine "mixology" said last week for the Padovani cocktail: "Der Ursprung liegt bei niemand Geringerem als Simon Difford, dem Mann mit der vielleicht größten Rezeptesammlung in unserem Teil der Milchstraße." (Its origins lie with none other than Simon Difford—the man with perhaps the largest collection of recipes in our part of the Milky Way.) Regards Florian

And many thanks for your contributions and support, Florian.

At least in my browser the pictures do not match the text.

I've been updating the page. Please can you refresh your page.

Here I am, in a bar on the shores of Loch Lomond, and they're serving something called a Bonnie Banks. It's delightful, yet maybe too sweet.
I'm not seeing a "Bonnie Banks" anywhere on Diffs, but this version of the Bobby is the closest, only without the bitters.
I need a bottle of Drambuie in my cupboard stat.

Did you discover Bonnie Banks at Cameron House? Please can you ask for the recipe and share it here?

Hi, how can I add this to my cabinet from the "product page" here directly? since "Mangaroca Batida de coco" e.g. does not pop up in the search, though having a product info on this website? THX

Thanks to your comment, I have made Batida de Côco available as a cocktail ingredient. However, you won't be able to add this to your Cabinet until you have used it in one of your recipes. I agree, you should be able to add to your Cabinet from this page and I'll ensure we enable this in the near future.

Having revisited El Capitán and tried different proportions, I’ve moved to equal-parts not only being the simplest, but the best ratio.

I'm surprised there is no Diffords rating for this when there is a review and tasting notes.

As "sampled before 1st May 2011", the rating has dropped off.