Old Etonian

Inspired By:

Loma (Providence)

Complexity

Alcohol Level

3/5

Light

Type

Martini

Preparation

Stirred

Glass

Nick & Nora

Ice

Large Cube

INGREDIENTS

SONKLIN • 45 ml / 1.5 oz

Lillet Blanc • 20 ml / 0.75 oz

Creme de noyaux • 10 ml / 0.35 oz

Orange bitters • 2 dashes

Garnish:

Lemon twist • 1

STEPS

1. Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice

2. Stir until well chilled (30+ seconds)

3. Strain into a chilled Nick & Nora glass

4. Garnish with a lemon twist

NOTES:

This lesser-known Martini cousin from The Savoy Cocktail Book was revived by Leishla Maldonado at Loma in Providence. The drink is gentle and sophisticated with an almost marzipan warmth and complex layers of flavor. Creme de noyaux (made from apricot pits) provides subtle almond character.

Batched Version: Mix SONKLIN, Lillet Blanc and creme de noyaux in a pitcher. Stir with ice to order, add bitters and orange peel at service.

HISTORY

The Old Etonian appears in The Savoy Cocktail Book, that seminal 1930 guide to classic cocktails. Like many drinks from that era, it was designed to highlight a specific ingredient - in this case, a special gin from Normandy. The formula proves flexible enough to work with other delicate spirits.

This version with SONKLIN and Lillet Blanc shows how rice spirits can anchor drinks that traditionally called for gin, creating a different but equally refined drinking experience.