Crescent Cocktail

We went in search of Picon cocktails. In the process, we came across an unknown representative from 1914 that we like very much.

30 ml James E. Pepper 1776 bourbon
30 m Antica Formula vermouth
30 ml Picon
5 ml D’Arbo raspberry syrup

Preparation: stirred.

Alternatively and currently preferred by us:

30 ml Eagle Rare 10 Bourbon
30 m Berto Rosso Superiore
30 ml Picon
5 ml Freimeister Himbeere

While searching for cocktails with Picon, we came across this forgotten drink. The Crescent Cocktail was first published in 1914 by Jacques Straub. We found the last mention of it in 1948, after which the cocktail is no longer known.

Where it got its name cannot be determined. “Crescent” literally means half moon or crescent moon. One could assume that it has something to do with New Orleans, because as Herbert Green states in his book “Mixed Drinks”, published in 1895, “Crescent City” was a popular name for New Orleans. But then the cocktail would have to be called “Crescent City Cocktail”. In total, we have found three different Crescent City Cocktails, published in 1935, 1940 and 1948, but these Crescent City Cocktails are completely different from the Crescent Cocktail. We have listed the places where they were found in the appendix.

Unfortunately, we can’t say any more about this drink, but that doesn’t make it any less delicious.

Historical recipes

1914 Jacques Straub: Drinks. Seite 24. Crescent Cocktail.

1/3 Amer Picon.
1/3 Italian vermouth.
1/3 bourbon.
1 barspoon raspberry syrup.
Shake well. Strain and serve.

1916 Jacob Abraham Grohusko: Jack’s Manual. Seite 45. Crescent Cocktail.

20% Amer. Picon
40% M. & R. Italian Vermouth
40% Bourbon
1 teaspoonful Raspberry syrup.
Shake well. Strain and serve.

1927 Anonymus: El arte de hacer un cocktail. Seite 24. Crescent.

1/3 Amer Picón.
1/3 vermouth italiano.
1/3 whiskey americano.
Cucharadita jarabe de frambuesa.
Bátase, cuélese y sírvase.

1930 Gerardo Corrales: Club de cantineros. Seite 35. Crescent Cocktail.

1/3 Amer Picón.
1/3 Vermouth Italiano.
1/3 whiskey Bourbon.
Cucharadita de granadina.
Bátase bien. Cuélese y sírvase.

1931 John: „Happy Days!“. Seite 42. Crescent Cocktail.

20 per cent American Picon
40 per cent M&R Itatlian Vermouth
40 per cent Bourbon
One teaspoonful Raspberry Syrup.
Shake well; strain and serve.

1933 Harry Todd: Mixer’s Guide. Seite 21. Crescent Cocktail.

20 per cent American Picon. Jigger measure.
40 per cent Italian vermouth.
40 per cent Bourbon whisky.
One teaspoonful Raspberry syrup.
Shake well; strain and serve.

1933 Jacob Abraham Grohusko: Jack’s Manual. Seite 59. Crescent Cocktail.

20% Amer Picon
40% regular vermouth
40% Bourbon
1 teaspoonful raspberry syrup
Shake well, strain, and serve.

1934 Anonymus: A Life-Time Collection of 688 Recipes for Drinks. Seite 23. Crescent Cocktail.

1/3 Amer. Picon 1 barspoon Raspberry
1/3 Italian Vermouth Syrup
1/3 Bourbon Shake well, strain and
. serve

1937 Anonymus: Hotel „Lincoln“ Cock-tail Book. Seite 22. Crescent Cocktail.

1/3 Amer Picon.
1/3 CORA vermouth.
1/3 Bourbon whiskey.
A teaspoonful of granadino.
Shake well and serve.

1937 United Kingdom Bartenders Guild: Approved Cocktails. Crescent.

33 1/2 % Amer Picon.
33 1/2 % Martini Vermouth.
33 1/2 % Bourbon.
3 dashes Raspberry Syrup.
Use mixing glass.

1937 William J. Tarling: Café Royal Cocktail Book. Crescent.

1/3 Amer Picon.
1/3 Martini Sweet Vermouth.
1/3 Bourbon.
3 dashes Raspberry Syrup.
Use mixing glass.

1948 Hilario Alonso Sanchez: El arte del cantinero. Seite 381. Crescent.

1/3 Amer Picón.
1/3 vermouth italiano.
1/3 whisky Bourbon.
Hielo. Bátase bien, cuéle-
se y sírvase.

Historische Rezepte: Crescent City Cocktail

1935 John Held: Peychaud’s New Orleans Cocktails. Crescent City Cocktail.

2 Dashes Peychaud’s Bitters.
1/2 Jigger Wild Cherry Bounce,
1/2 Jigger Dubonnet.
1/2 Jigger French Vermouth.
Stir well in ice, serve in cocktail
glass.

1940 Anonymus: Professional Mixing Guide. Seite 29. Crescent City Cocktail.

1 1/2 oz Sweet Vermouth, 3/4 oz White
Rum, juice of 1/2 Lime, 2 dashes An­-
gostura Bitters. Stir in ice, strain in­
to cocktail glass.

1948 David A. Embury: The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks. Seite 224. Crescent City.

1 part Lime Juice
2 parts Italian Vermouth
4 parts Gold Label Rum
1 or 2 dashes Angostura to each drink
Shake or stir.
This cocktail, while not particularly good, is in-
teresting in that it is a compromise between the aro-
matic type and the Sour type.

1953 David A. Embury: The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks. Seite 233. Crescent City.

1 part Lime Juice
2 parts Italian Vermouth
4 parts Gold Label Rum
1 or 2 dashes Angostura to each drink
Shake or stir.
This cocktail, while not particularly good, is interesting in that it is
a compromise between the aromatic type and the Sour type.

explicit capitulum
*