The Napoleon Cocktail.

On April 11, 1814, Napoleon Bonaparte signed the Treaty of Fontainebleau, abdicating his throne and beginning his brief exile on the Island of Elba. Napoleon would return to power, briefly, and then lose it all again after his defeat at Waterloo… Commemorating this day and reviving a long forgotten classic… The Napoleon Cocktail.

First recorded in Craddock’s tome, The Savoy Cocktail book in 1930, The Napoleon Cocktail is a savory, bracing riff on the classic Martini, using Fernet Branca to add layers of complexity and both Orange Curaçao and Dubonnet Rouge to give it a kiss of sweetness. Smooth and easy drinking, the cocktail is a perfect “shoulder season” libation, with just enough mid-palate weight to give it warmth, and a refreshing lightness that trumpets Spring!

My friends, I offer you The Napoleon Cocktail:

2 oz. London Dry Gin

1/4 oz. Orange Curaçao

1/4 oz. Fernet Branca

1/2 oz. Dubonnet Rouge

Shake with crushed ice and strain into chilled coupe. Garnish with a Luxardo Maraschino Cherry.

Cin-Cin!