Chase

This is another forgotten drink. It was only published once, in 1930. It is similar to the Dubonnet cocktail, and gets its special flavour from the addition of sherry.

30 ml Lustau Jarana fino sherry
30 ml Dubonnet
30 ml Rutte Dry Gin

Preparation: Stirred.

Alternatively and currently preferred by us:

30 ml Lustau Amontillado Escuadrilla Sherry
30 ml Dubonnet
30 ml Finsbury 47 Gin

We don’t know where the drink got its name from. However, an advertisement from 1927 caught our eye. In his book “Cocktails”, Piedro Grandi lists 37 American hotels in a selection of worldwide hotels, including “The Chase Hotel” in St. Louis, Missouri. ^[1] So it must have been a very important hotel, even by international standards. This hotel consists of two buildings, built in 1922 and 1929. It was considered the most luxurious hotel in the city. ^[2] So it is quite conceivable that the drink was named after this hotel, but there is no proof.

It is surprising that we have only found this drink published once, in 1930. A search on the internet does not yield any further results either. In 1937, “Garland’s Appetizer” was published twice. This is a chase in which the gin content was doubled and a lemon zest was added on top. It was probably developed in ignorance of the Chase and originated from L. Spinks.

It seems that we have discovered a drink that is practically unknown. However, it really deserves to be made known. Therefore: Try it and recommend it!

Sources

1. Piero Grandi: Cocktails. 3. Auflage, Roma, 1927.
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Chase_Park_Plaza_Hotel: The Chase Park Plaza Hotel.

Historical recipes

1930 Jere Sullivan: The Drinks of Yesteryear. Seite 17. Chase.

Authorized by a New 1/3 Dry Sherry
Haven merchant – 1/3 Dubonnet Wine
Plagiarized by New 1/3 Dry Gin
York hotels. Shake well and strain into cocktail glass.

1937 R. de Fleury: 1800 – And All That. Seite 58. Garland’s Appetizer.

Copyright by L. Spinks
1/4 Dubonnet
1/4 Dry Sherry
1/2 Booth’s Dry Gin
Twist of Lemon Peel
Mix.

1937 United Kingdom Bartender’s Guild: Approved Cocktails. Garland’s Appetizer.

25% Dubonnet.
25% Dry Sherry.
50% Booth’s Dry Gin.
Twist of Lemon Peel
Mix.

Invented by L. Spinks.

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