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Liberal

1 1⁄2 oz Rye (or bourbon)
1⁄2 oz Sweet vermouth
1⁄4 oz Amer Picon
1 ds Orange bitters
Instructions

Stir, strain, straight up, cocktail glass

History

Original ratio is 1:1:1, a very sweet drink with a dash of absinthe. Ted Haigh (Vintage Spirits & Forgotten Cocktails) suggests 3/4oz bourbon, 3/4 oz sweet vermouth, 3 dashes Amer, 1 dash orange bitters.

Cocktail summary
Posted by Dan on
Created by
Thomas Stuart?
Year
1903
Is an
altered recipe
Reference

Thomas Stuart's "Stuart's Fancy Drinks and How to Mix Them"

Curator
Not yet rated
User rating
3.5 stars
(12 ratings)
Yields Drink

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From other users
  • Using 1.5/1/.25 ratio
  • I liked it. Delicate little drink. I went with the 1.5/1/.5 ratio, and I also added a dash of grapefruit bitters and I also thought it benefited from the oils of a lemon twist.
  • Try with 1.5oz bourbon, 1oz sweet vermouth, .5oz amaro, 2ds orange bitters
  • Decent, but didn't find it to be any great improvement over a Manhattan when using Picon Biere.
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Comments
Zachary Pearson commented on 1/22/2012:

This may have originated in Thomas Stuart's "Stuart's Fancy Drinks and How to Mix Them" from 1904. His Liberal is 1/3 each Pecon Bitters (sic), 1/3 whiskey, and 1/3 Italian (sweet) vermouth, with 3-4 dashes of absinthe.

christina in tacoma commented on 12/25/2012:

Been meaning to try this for probably a yr- finally did, and not a fan as it is too sweet and the orange flavor is overwhelming. I did use Bittermens Amere Nouvelle so I'm not sure how much of a difference that makes. I'd much prefer a Brooklyn cocktail.

grahambj commented on 9/10/2013:

I have seen this in Modern American Drinks by George J Kappeler (1900) as
Liberal Cocktail
1/2 large bar glass ice
1 dash simple syrup
1/2 jigger Amer Picon
1/2 jigger whiskey
1 piece lemon peel
Fill a mixing-​glass half-​full fine ice, add one dash syrup, half a jigger Amer Picon bitters, half a jigger whiskey. Mix, strain into cocktail-​glass. A small piece of lemon peel on top. Serve.

I have also seen this cocktail attributed to Joseph Santini of New Orleans' City Exchange c. 1850 but I have not seen an original publication.