Bombay Cocktail
Cognac, dry and sweet vermouth, a dash of curaçao and a dash of absinthe, stirred. A Savoy-era perfect Manhattan on brandy — rich, dry and aromatic.
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.
Add the cognac, both vermouths, curaçao and absinthe to a mixing glass.
Fill with ice and stir for 25 to 30 seconds.
Strain into the chilled coupe, express an orange peel over the top and drop it in.
A thoughtful finish
- The absinthe is one dash; it should be an aroma on the nose, not a flavour.
- Equal halves of dry and sweet vermouth make it 'perfect'; tip toward dry for a crisper drink.
- A VSOP cognac gives it more depth; a VS is fine and traditional.
Common mistakes
- More than a dash of absinthe.
- Shaking it.
- Tired vermouth; the drink is a third vermouth.
A few good questions.
What does a Bombay Cocktail taste like?
A perfect Manhattan on brandy with orange and a whisper of anise — round, dry, aromatic, elegant.
Is it related to Bombay gin?
No. The name is 1930s exoticism; the drink is brandy.
Can I use rye?
Then it is a Perfect Manhattan with curaçao and absinthe, which is close to a Vieux Carré's cousin and is good.
What is a 'perfect' cocktail?
One with equal parts dry and sweet vermouth — a Perfect Manhattan, a Perfect Martini, and this.
Variations
- Vieux Carré — Rye, cognac, vermouth and Bénédictine.
- Perfect Martini — Gin with dry and sweet vermouth.
- Manhattan — Rye and sweet vermouth.
- Sidecar — Cognac, orange liqueur and lemon.
Where it comes from
c. 1930 · London · Savoy Hotel
The Bombay Cocktail is printed in the Savoy Cocktail Book of 1930 as brandy with equal dashes of French and Italian vermouth, a dash of curaçao and a dash of absinthe — a perfect Manhattan built on brandy, dressed with orange and anise. The name is colonial-era decoration and has no known link to the city. It was a standard of the 1930s brandy repertoire and disappeared with brandy cocktails generally; the revival rediscovered it as an elegant stirred drink that shows how well cognac takes to vermouth.
Sources
- Harry Craddock, The Savoy Cocktail Book, 1930 (book)
- Ted Haigh, Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails, 2009 (book)
- David Wondrich, Imbibe!, 2015 (book)
Strength. About 1.75 US standard drinks at an estimated 27.4% ABV, estimated from the ingredients and technique, not measured. What that means.
A little character in every sip.
A keeper?
Save this drink for your next cocktail hour.
Saved in this browser.The next great drink
might already be on your shelf.
Choose your bottles and mixers. Discover what you can make.