Princeton
Princeton is made with Old Tom gin, tawny port, orange bitters and a little syrup and water, chilled for serving.
Built to the standard modern spec; not yet tested in our kitchen. How we test.
The recipe.
Scaling adjusts quantities only. Prepare shaken drinks in individual portions.
Let’s make a good drink.
Chill a coupe and prepare the garnish before mixing.
Add all measured ingredients to a mixing glass.
Add ice and stir until thoroughly cold and gently diluted, tasting with a clean spoon if needed.
Strain into the prepared coupe.
Squeeze a fresh orange peel over the surface for its oils, then rest it against the glass.
A thoughtful finish
- This selected version mixes the port through the drink instead of layering it.
- The selected syrup is rich, two parts sugar to one part water; use that concentration for the listed measure.
- Use solid ice and stir smoothly; stop once the mixture is cold and pleasantly diluted.
Common mistakes
- Leaving the port at the bottom when following these instructions makes the first and last sips very different.
- Using a thin 1:1 syrup at the same volume supplies less sugar and changes the sour balance.
- Stirring with mostly melted ice can make the drink watery before it becomes properly cold.
A few good questions.
What is in a Princeton?
Princeton is made with Old Tom gin, tawny port, orange bitters and a little syrup and water.
Can I scale a Princeton for more servings?
Multiply every measured ingredient by the same serving count. Prepare the measured still ingredients ahead if useful, but chill, shake or stir each serving as directed; add any carbonated finish at service.
What kind of simple syrup should I use?
Use rich 2:1 sugar syrup for this selected build. A 1:1 syrup is less concentrated and should not be silently substituted at the same measure.
What glass should I use for a Princeton?
Use the assigned coupe for this directory serving. Where that differs from the source’s presentation, the version note labels the serving adaptation.
Variations
- Another bottle of the base — Editorial bottle variation: use another producer of the same old tom gin style at the listed measure; record the bottle rather than assuming identical sweetness or strength.
- Alternate citrus peel — Editorial presentation variation: try a different fresh citrus peel for the surface aroma while keeping the liquid formula unchanged; identify it as a garnish change.
Where it comes from
Princeton is made with Old Tom gin, tawny port, orange bitters and a little syrup and water, chilled for serving.
Sources
- Difford’s Guide — Princeton Cocktail Recipe (reference) link
Strength. About 1.63 US standard drinks at an estimated 26.4% ABV, estimated from the ingredients and technique, not measured. What that means.
A little character in every sip.
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