Vintage Classics You (probably) Haven’t Heard About : the Li

配料

This one’s got serious cozy fall energy. The Lion’s Tail is one of those forgotten classics that surprises you with how good it is. It’s bourbon-based, but what really makes it special is the pimento dram, a spiced liqueur made with allspice that you usually find in tiki cocktails.

The story behind the name is also pretty great. The cocktail first appeared in the Café Royal Cocktail Book in 1937, made by American bartenders working in London during Prohibition. “Twisting the lion’s tail” was a phrase Americans used back then to mean provoking the British. So, the drink was basically a playful jab, Americans making a whiskey cocktail on British soil.

Here’s how to make it:

The Lion’s Tail

2 oz bourbon

½ oz allspice dram (pimento dram)

¼ oz simple syrup

¾ oz fresh lime juice

2–3 dashes Angostura bitters

Shake it all with ice, strain into a chilled coupe, express lime zest over the cocktail, garnish with the zest and enjoy.

Cheers