Creole Lady

1 1⁄2 oz Madeira

1 1⁄8 oz Bourbon

2 Maraschino cherry (as garnish)

Instructions

Shake, strain into a claret glass, garnish.

Notes

Later versions corrupt the maraschino component into grenadine, which makes for an entirely different (and inferior, I think) drink.

Cocktail summary

Year

1900s

Is an

authentic recipe

Reference

https://euvs-vintage-cocktail-books.cld.bz/1913-Straub-s-Manual-of-Mixe…

Curator

Not yet rated

Average

4 stars

(2 ratings)

Cocktail Book

From other users

I quartered the (2:2:1 originally posted) recipe and was satisfied with the volume! This was better than I expected. At room temp, pleasant cherry acidity.
More pleasurable than it seemed at first, clearly meant as a sippable drink rather than a quick cocktail. It is a good way to use Madeira.

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Comments

I curated this to conform to the Straub version for a couple of reasons: (1) It's the earliest and best of the three sources (2) A jigger is 1.5 oz, and even though the fraction conversion is wonky, it's a lot better as a 3 ounce chilled drink than a 5 ounce warm drink. Thanks, Zachary

Sound curation, though I'll side with the later recipes as far as stirring rather than shaking this.

(And call me crazy, but I might prefer the room-temp version.)

I was familiar with the Straub recipe, but I believe that found in the Old Waldorf Bar Days (published long after the bar manual was written) to represent the earlier form, that is, a stirred, room temperature drink. It has been quite successful at parties.

Looking again at the older sources, I'm wondering if the cherries here are meant to be shaken/strained (Straub) or stirred (Waldorf)--that is, incorporated into the drink at mixing rather than added as a garnish at the end.

Also, this needs a dry Madeira -- no Bual or Malmsey. I did this as 1 1/4 : 1 1/4 : 1/2 with Sercial on the menu at Loyal Nine and with Verdelho at home. I've also made the room temperature/no ice version from The Old Waldorf-Astoria Bar Book which makes good use of the Maraschino's sugar to balance the drink instead of dilution + sugar.