Chocolate martini without it being some gross, sugary mess like you'd normally get if you asked for that? I'm down

So I went looking for this drink, and it seems to be 1906ish, but it's equal parts Tom Gin and dry vermouth plus some orange bitters. Anyone have the original Imbibe to see if the cocoa is a Wondrich thing? Thanks,  Zachary

FWIW this Wondrich Esquire bit from 2007 makes no mention of cacao in connection to the Racquet Club. (And it also suggests equal parts, and an orange rather than lemon twist.)

Wondrich's book, Imbibe! notes the Cacao discrepancy in Kappeler, and uses as a source the New York Sun, 1893. Without seeing the particular article, it is hard to tell. I haven't seen the 2011 Imbibe article where Wondrich provides the Racquet Club Cocktail recipe either, but the Imbibe! book's recipe is somewhat anachronistic, using Plymouth gin (even it if was gin made in Plymouth, wouldn't an Old Tom be closer to the style at the time or was Plymouth gin dry by then?) It also is a 50:50 (rather than shown in the recipe on this site.) Wondrich's ingredient notes say, "Use an Italian vermouth" rather than dry vermouth as given here and by Kappeler. So I am not sure what has happened but something seems mixed up. Was "French vermouth: intended rather than "Italian?" I dunno, but it makes a nice cocktail with Plymouth, Regan's orange bitters, and Tempus Fugit Creme de Cacao using a mild red vermouth such as Dolin Rouge.

Simple and enjoyable. A nice way to bring the gins together. A good alternative to a gin and tonic.

thanks a lot--i'm a big fan of the components, and they're often overpowered by other elements in a cocktail.

Curated this slightly - changed Rangpur Gin to Gin, Tanqueray Rangpur. Changed Celery soda water to soda water.

Thanks,

Zachary

Tried this with Bulleit, as it was the only rye I had around. I had everything else around (Aperol, Luxardo, well absinthe) so figued I'd take a stab. My guess is the drink requires the specified rye. It was a very confused drink as I made and tasted it. Somewhere between candy sweet and just too complex. I finished it no problem, so it's drinkable... but I don't see myself making it again.

Given this drink's ingredients, I decided to make "The Great Silence" despite the earlier critical comments. Instead, I used those comments, and modified both the ingredients and the amount of certain ingredients. I used a "fat" 1 1/2 oz Rittenhouse rye (100 proof) instead of the Bulliet rye (90 proof). I, too, did not have the High West double rye, but I think my modificiation was a reasonable approximation--other than adding 2 oz of Rittenhouse rye. Also, I reduced the Aperol to 1/2 oz, but added 1/4 oz Campari to make the libation less sweet and to add some body to it. Finally, I added a "skinny" 1/2 oz lime juice (personal taste), for the absinthe I used St. George's Absinthe Verte. The result was a decent drink that I rate at 3.5. 

In the future, lacking the specified double rye, I will use a full 2 oz Rittenhouse rye, and 1/2 oz Campari, and 1/4 oz Aperol. I wiill stay with the "skinny" 1/2 oz lime juice. Perhaps these changes will nudge the rating closer to 4.0. My hunch is that even using the High West double rye, the best rating will be 4.0. Will I ever know? I doubt it!

Making the changes I suggested in my prior comment, the resulting libation can easily be rated between 3.5 and 4.0, depending on the taster's preferences. Personally, I rate the modified "The Great Silence" at 3.8. How would you rate the original recipe vs my final modifications? I would be interested. Cheers!

Made with Aviation. Very nice.