This cocktail, also known as the Dandy Cocktail, is a prime example of how seemingly universal rules can be broken because the result justifies it. It is a remarkable drink from the early twentieth century based on rye whiskey and Dubonnet, which is quite rarely offered.
40 ml 1776 James E. Pepper Rye
40 ml Dubonnet
10 ml Combier triple sec
1 lemon zest
2 orange zests
2 dashes Peychaud’s bitters
1 orange zest as garnish
Preparation: Shake everything except for the single orange zest, which is used as a garnish. Strain into a glass and sprinkle with the single orange zest.
Alternatively and currently preferred by us:
40 ml Woodford Reserve Rye
40 ml Dubonnet
10 ml Combier triple sec
1 lemon zest
2 orange zests
2 dashes Peychaud’s bitters
1 orange zest as garnish
The Deshler Cocktail is an interesting cocktail for us, because it shows that although there are seemingly irrefutable rules behind the bar counter, it is possible to break them once you understand them. One of these rules is that only drinks with citrus fruits are shaken, otherwise they are stirred to avoid cloudiness. The Deshler Cocktail disregards this rule for good reason. In this drink, the oils of lemon and orange are extremely important because they impart a distinct fruitiness without using juice. Since this fruitiness comes from the oils of the peel, these oils must be extracted – and the best way to do this is to shake the zests along. Stirring is not enough here.
The Deshler Cocktail was probably created by Richard Hugo Ensslin. The recipe was first found in his book. If one searches the internet, one comes across the statement that the cocktail is named after the lightweight boxer Dave Deshler from Boston. [1] [2] [3] [7] [8] Where this statement comes from, however, is not mentioned. Nowhere in the books there is a reference that tells us who or what the name of the cocktail refers to. Therefore, someone will have assumed that this could have been Dave Deshler. We do not follow this interpretation.
If you do a little research into the life of Hugo Richard Ensslin and look closely at his book, you learn that he was a bartender at the Wallick Hotel on Broadway. The Wallicks ran other hotels, including the Secor Hotel in Toledo, Ohio and the Deshler Hotel in Columbus, Ohio, which opened on 23 June 1916. During the Depression, they had to sell two of their properties and kept only the Deshler Hotel, which was acquired by Hilton in 1934, but Louis C. Wallick remained hotel manager. In 1969, the Deshler Hotel was demolished. [4] We believe that the Deshler Cocktail was the signature drink of the Deshler Hotel. This assumption is based on circumstantial evidence from Hugo Ensslin’s book. The Wallick Hotel was apparently the namesake for several drinks. On page 33 we find the “Wallick Cocktail” and a drink called “Wallick’s Special”. On page 64, “Wallick’s Merry Widow”. What could be more natural than to develop a signature drink for the newly built Deshler Hotel in Columbus? Since it was not opened until 1916, it also explains why we first find the drink from that year, and then also for the first time at Hugo Richard Ensslin. So it stands to reason that he developed the drink himself for the new hotel bar. It would now be interesting to know whether the drink is already included in the first edition of Hugo Ensslin’s book from 1916.
Interestingly, the Deshler Cocktail changed its name the next time it was published in 1927. In “The Buckstone Book of Cocktails” it is called Dandy Cocktail. Where this name comes from and why it was changed, we could not find out. In the historical books it is mostly called Dandy Cocktail, we found it 24 times in total. As a Deshler Cocktail only seven times.
In 1934, the American Traveling Mixologists list a Dandy Cocktail with a fundamentally different recipe, and in 1955, a Dandy Cocktail is published by Santiago Policastro, but it also has a completely different recipe. In 1949 and 1965, Harry Schaemli even uses juice as an ingredient instead of zest. In addition, we found a twist where the bitters were replaced by absinthe, this is then called Temptation and appeared in 1935 by O. Blunier in “The Barkeeper’s Golden Book”. The Home On The Range, published once in 1948, is the same as a Dandy Cocktail according to the bar book. In 1956, the Capetown, which we have found three times, appears for the first time and is also nothing else than a Deshler Cocktail.
There is also the specification that the cocktail is stirred, the first time this is given by Patrick Gavin Duffy in 1934. In modern books, the lemon zest has disappeared and the orange zest is only used as a garnish. This is very unfortunate. We clearly recommend shaking it with the zest, as Hugo Ensslin intended. Because that’s what makes this cocktail what it is.
Sources:
- http://www.mensjournal.com/expert-advice/21-perfect-cocktails-for-summer-20140624/the-deshler-from-butcher-singer: 21 Perfect Cocktails for Summer. The Deshler from Butcher & Singer.
- http://blog.vincekeenan.com/2012/08/cocktail-of-week-deshler.html: Cocktail of the Week: The Deshler. By Vince Keenan, 31. August 2012.
- http://boxrec.com/boxer/55831: Dave Deshler.
- http://bar-vademecum.de/hugo-richard-ensslin/: Richard Hugo Ensslin.
- Hugo R. Ensslin: Recipes for Mixed Drinks. 2. Auflage, New York 1917.
- https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Deshler-Wallick_Hotel_in_Columbus,_Ohio.jpg: The Deshler Wallick in Columbus. Back of postcard reads: “The Deshler Wallick has an international reputation as one of America’s finest hotels. It is luxuriously furnished, has 1000 rooms, 1000 baths and is located in the exact center of Columbus, the capital of Ohio. James H. (Jimmy) Michos, Resident Manager, is famous as a host. Columbus – A Friendly City.”
- Jim Meehan: Das Geheime Cocktail-Buch (The PDT Cocktail Book, New York 2011). ISBN 978-3-89955-436-6. Berlin, Die Gestalten Verlag, 2012. Page 105.
- Sean Muldoon & Jack McGarry: The Dead Rabbit Drinks Manual. ISBN 978-0-544-37320-4. 2015. Page 256.
Historical recipes
1917 Hugo R. Ensslin: Recipes for Mixed Drinks. Seite 15. Deshler Cocktail.
1/2 jigger Rye Whiskey
1/2 jigger Dubonnet
2 dashes Peychaud Bitters
2 dashes Contreau Triple Sec.
1 piece Lemon Peel
2 Pieces Orange Peel
Shake well in a mixing glass with cracked ice, strain and serve with a twist
of orange peel on top.
1925 „Robert“ Buckby & George Stone: The Buckstone Book of Cocktails. Seite 21. Dandy Cocktail.
1/2 Canadian Club Whisky, 1/2 Dubonnet, dash
of Cointreau, dash of Angostura Bitters,
piece of lemon peel, piece of orange peel.
Shake and strain.
1930 Harry Craddock: The Savoy Cocktail Book. Seite 56. Dandy Cocktail.
1/2 Rye or Canadian Club
Whisky.
1/2 Dubonnet.
1 Dash Angostura Bitters.
3 Dashes Cointreau.
1 Piece Lemon Peel.
1 Piece Orange Peel.
Shake well and strain into
cocktail glass.
1933 Antonio Josa: Cocktelera universal. Seite 22. Dandy Cocktail.
Una gota de Angostura Bitters.
Tres gotas de Cointreau.
1/2 de Dubonet.
1/2 de Whisky Canaclian Club.
Añádase una corteza de limón y otra de
naranja.
1933 Harry Craddock: The Savoy Cocktail Book. Seite 56. Dandy Cocktail.
1/2 Rye or Canadian Club
Whisky.
1/2 Dubonnet.
1 Dash Angostura Bitters.
3 Dashes Cointreau.
1 Piece Lemon Peel.
1 Piece Orange Peel.
Shake well and strain into
cocktail glass.
1934 American Traveling Mixologists (Charles C. Mueller, Al Hoppe Sr., A. V. Guzman & James Cunningham): Pioneers of Mixing at Elite Bars 1903-1933. Seite 183. Dandy Cocktail.
Jigger Bourbon
1/2 Lemon Juice
2 Dashes Loganberry and Grenadine
Shake and strain. Glass No. 4.
1934 A. T. Neirath: Rund um die Bar. Seite 170. Dandy-Cocktail.
Zitronen- und Orangenschale
werden mitgeschüttelt, aber
nicht im fertigen Getränk be-
lassen.
1 Streif. Zitronenschale
1 Streif. Orangenschale
1 D. [Dash] Angostura
3 D. [Dash] Cointreau
1/2 Canadian Club-
Whisky
1/2 Dubonnet
Sch-.B. [Schüttelbecher] K. [Kirsche]
1934 Patrick Gavin Duffy: The Official Mixer’s Manual. Seite 111. Dandy Cocktail.
1/2 Rye Whisky
1/2 Dubonnet
1 Dash Angostura Bitters
3 Dashes Cointreau
1 Piece Lemon Peel
1 Piece Orange Peel
Stir well in ice and strain.
Use glass number 2
1934 Patrick Gavin Duffy: The Official Mixer’s Manual. Seite 112. Deshler Cocktail.
1/2 Jigger Rye Whisky
1/2 Jigger Dubonnet
2 Dashes Peychaud Bitters
2 Dashes Cointreau Triple Sec
1 Piece Lemon Peel
2 Pieces Orange Peel
Shake well with cracked ice, strain and serve
with a twist of Orange Peel.
Use glass number 2
1934 William T. Boothby: „Cocktail Bill“ Boothby’s World Drinks. Seite 56. Dandy.
Whisky . . . . . . . . 1/3 jigger Dubonnet . . . . . . . 1/3 jigger
Cointreau . . . . . . 3 dashes Bitters . . . . . . . . . . 2 drops
Lemon peel . . . . 1 piece Orange peel . . . . . 1 piece
Shake all well with ice, strain into chilled cocktail glass and serve.
1935 Leo Cotton: Old Mr. Boston. Seite 42. Dandy Cocktail.
1/2 Old Mr. Boston Whiskey
1/2 Dubonnet
1 Dash Bitters
3 Dashes Cointreau
1 Piece Lemon Peel
1 Piece Orange Peel
Shake well with cracked ice and
strain into 3 oz. Cocktail glass.
1935 O. Blunier: The Barkeeper’s Golden Book. Seite 92. Dandy.
1/2 Rye Whisky
1/2 Dubonnet
1 ds. Angostura
3 ds. Cointreau
1 Orange
1 Lemon peel
1935 O. Blunier: The Barkeeper’s Golden Book. Seite 141. Temptation.
3/4 Rye Whisky
2 ds. Dubonnet
Absinthe
Curasao
and rind of Lemon and
Orange
1936 Bill Edwards: Drinks. Seite 34. Dandy.
1 part Rye or Canadian Club Whisky
1 part Dubonnet
1 dash Angostura Bitters
3 dashes Cointreau
1 piece Lemon Peel
1 piece Orange Peel.
1937 United Kingdom Bartender’s Guild: Approved Cocktails. Dandy.
50% Rye or Canadian Club Whisky.
50% Dubonnet.
1 dash Angostura Bitters.
3 dashes Cointreau.
1 piece Lemon Peel.
1 piece Orange Peel.
Shake and strain into cocktail glass.
1937 William J. Tarling: Café Royal Cocktail Book. Dandy.
1/2 Rye or Canadian Club Whisky.
1/2 Dubonnet.
1 dash Angostura Bitters.
3 dashes Cointreau.
1 piece Lemon Peel.
1 piece Orange Peel.
Shake and strain into cocktail glass.
1938 Hyman Gale & Gerald F. Marco: The How and When. Seite 108. Dandy Cocktail.
1/2 jigger Whisky
1/2 jigger Dubonnet
1 dash Angostura Bitters
3 dashes Cointreau
1 piece Lemon Peel
1 piece Orange Peel
Shake well
Strain into Cocktail Glass
1940 Charles: The Cocktail Book. Seite 50. Dandy Cocktail.
1 dash of Angostura bitters,
3 dashes of Cointreau,
1 piece of lemon peel,
1 piece of orange peel,
1/4 gill of Dubonnet,
1/4 gill of Canadian Club whisky.
Use the shaker.
1940 Patrick Gavin Duffy: The Official Mixer’s Manual. Seite 111. Dandy Cocktail.
1/2 Rye Whisky
1/2 Dubonnet
1 Dash Angostura Bitters
3 Dashes Cointreau
1 Piece Lemon Peel
1 Piece Orange Peel
Stir well in ice and strain.
Use glass number 2
1940 Patrick Gavin Duffy: The Official Mixer’s Manual. Seite 112. Deshler Cocktail.
1/2 Jigger Rye Whisky
1/2 Jigger Dubonnet
2 Dashes Peychaud Bitters
2 Dashes Cointreau Triple Sec
1 Piece Lemon Peel
2 Pieces Orange Peel
Shake well with cracked ice, strain and serve
with a twist of Orange Peel.
Use glass number 2
1948 Trader Vic: Bartender’s Guide. Seite 267. Dandy Cocktail.
3/4 oz. bourbon 3 dashes Cointreau
3/4 oz. Dubonnet 1 strip lemon jeel
1 dash Angostura bitters 1 strip orange peel
Shake with cracked ice; strain into chilled cocktail glass.
1948 Trader Vic: Bartender’s Guide. Seite 267. Deshler Cocktail.
3/4 oz. rye 2 dashes Cointreau
3/4 oz. Dubonnet 1 strip lemon peel
2 dashes Peychaud’s bitters 1 strip orange peel
Shake with cracked ice; strain into chilled cocktail glass.
Twist lemon peel over drink.
1948 Trader Vic: Bartender’s Guide. Seite 272. Home On The Range Cocktail.
Same as Dandy Cocktail.
1949 Harry Schraemli: Das grosse Lehrbuch der Bar. Seite 338. Dandy-Cocktail.
1. d. Angosturabitter, 1 d. Orangensaft, 1 d. Zitronen-
saft, 3 d. Cointreau, 1/2 Dubonnet, 1/2 Whisky.
Kurz schütteln.
1950 Ted Shane: Authentic and Hilarious Bar Guide. Seite 23. Deshler.
1/2 jigger Dubonnet 1 strip Lemon Peel
2 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters 1 strip Orange Peel
2 dashes Cointreau 1⁄2 jigger Rye
Shake with cracked ice and strain.
1952 Charles: The Cocktail Bar. Seite 50. Dandy Cocktail.
1 dash of Angostura bitters,
3 dashes of Cointreau,
1 piece of lemon peel,
1 piece of orange peel,
1/4 gill of Dubonnet,
1/4 gill of Canadian Club whisky.
Use the shaker.
1953 Anonymus: Manual del bar. Seite 176. Dandy.
. 1 golpe de Bitters Angostura.
Refrescado. 1 golpe de Triple Sec.
Servido en una copa de 40 gramos de Whisky America-
90 gramos. no Rye.
. 40 gramos de Dubonnet.
. El zumo de una corteza de Li-
. món.
1953 Anonymus: The U.K.B.G. Guide to Drinks. Seite 61. Dandy.
1/2 Rye Whisky.
1/2 Dubonnet.
1 Dash Angostura Bitters.
3 Dashes Cointreau.
Shake and Strain.
Add 1 Piece Orange Peel
and 1 Piece Lemon Peel.
1953 Leo Cotton: Old Mr. Boston Official Bartender’s Guide. Seite 55. Dandy Cocktail.
1 oz. Old Mr. Boston Rye or Bourbon
Whiskey
1 oz. Dubonnet
1 Dash Bitters
1 Teaspoon Old Mr. Boston Triple
Sec
Twist of Lemon Peel
Twist of Orange Peel
Shake well with cracked Ice and strain
into 3 oz. Cocktail glass.
1953 Marcel et Roger Louc: Cocktails et Grand Crus. Seite 55. Dandy’s Cocktail.
Trois traits Curaçao blanc
Deux traits Bitter Orange
1/2 Dubonnet
1/2 Whisky Canadien
Un zeste de citron
Un zeste d’orange.
1955 Anonymus: The U.K.B.G. Guide to Drinks. Seite 61. Dandy.
1/2 Rye Whisky.
1/2 Dubonnet.
1 Dash Angostura Bitters.
3 Dashes Cointreau.
Shake and Strain.
Add 1 Piece Orange Peel
and 1 Piece Lemon Peel.
1955 Santiago Policastro (Pichin): Tragos Mágicos. Seite 72. Dandy.
En coctelera de vidrio o recipiente que haga las veces de tal colocar
4 ó 5 trozos de hielo del tamaño de una nuez; luego verter:
20 g. de apricot brandy
50 g. de oporto
100 g. de whisky
30 g. de Old Tom gin
Refrescar durante 1 minuto y servir en vaso barril con una cáscara
de limón.
1956 Patrick Gavin Duffy: The Official Mixer’s Manual. Seite 96. Capetown.
1/2 Rye Whiskey
1/2 Dubonnet
3 Dashes Curasao
1 Dash Angostura Bitters
Stir well with ice and strain into
glass. Serve with twist of Lemon
Peel.
1956 Patrick Gavin Duffy: The Official Mixer’s Manual. Seite 97. Dandy.
1/2 Rye Whiskey
1/2 Dubonnet
1 Dash Angostura Bitters
3 Dashes Cointreau
1 Twist each Lemon and Orange
Peel
Stir well with ice and strain into
glass.
1956 Patrick Gavin Duffy: The Official Mixer’s Manual. Seite 97. Deshler.
1 Jigger Rye Whiskey
1 Jigger Dubonnet
2 Dashes Peychaud’s Bitters
2 Dashes Cointreau
2 Twists Orange Peel
1 Twist Lemon Peel
Shake well with ice and strain
into glass. Serve with a twist of
Orange Peel.
1957 Henri Barman: Cocktails et autres boissons mélangées. Seite 31. Capetown.
Timbale à mélange, glace
1/2 Canadian Whisky
1/2 Dubonnet
3 traits Curaçao
1 trait Angostura
Bien remuer en timbale et
passer dans verre à cocktail.
Spiralette d’écorce de citron.
Mélangeur électr. : voir note.
1957 Henri Barman: Cocktails et autres boissons mélangées. Seite 36. Dandy.
Shaker, glace
1/2 Canadian Club Whisky
1/2 Dubonnet
1 trait Angostura
3 traits Cointreau
1 zeste de citron
1 zeste d’orange
Bien frapper au shaker et
passer dans verre à cocktail,
Mélangeur électr. : voir note.
1957 Lawrence Blochman: Here’s How. Seite 22. Dandy Cocktail.
1 part rye or blended whisky 1 part Dubonnet
1 dash Angostura bitters 3 dashes Triple Sec
Stir with some dandy cracked ice, strain into a dandy
cocktail glass, and add a double twist of orange and
lemon peel.
1960 Anonymus: The U.K.B.G. Guide to Drinks. Seite 61. Dandy.
1/2 Rye Whisky.
1/2 Dubonnet.
1 Dash Angostura Bitters.
3 Dashes Cointreau.
Shake and Strain.
Add 1 Piece Orange Peel.
and 1 Piece Lemon Peel.
1964 Anonymus: Manual del bar. Seite 176. Dandy.
. 1 golpe de Bitters Angostura.
Refrescado. 1 golpe de Triple Sec.
Servido en una copa de 40 gramos de Whisky Ameri-
90 gramos. cano Rye.
. 40 gramos de Dubonnet.
. El zumo de una corleza de li-
. món.
1965 Anonymus: The U.K.B.G. Guide to Drinks. Seite 65. Dandy.
1/2 Rye Whisky.
1/2 Dubonnet.
1 Dash Angostura Bitters.
3 Dashes Cointreau.
Add 1 Piece Orange Peel
and 1 Piece Lemon Peel.
MIXING GLASS.
1965 Harry Schraemli: Manuel du bar. Seite 392. Dandy Cocktail.
1 dash angosturabitter, 1 dash jus d’orange, 1 dash jus de citron, 3
dashes cointreau, 1/2 Dubonnet, 1/2 whisky. Agiter brièvement.
1966 Harry Schraemli: Le roi du bar. Seite 79. Dandy Cocktail.
Shaker. 1 d [dash] angostura bitter, 1 d [dash] jus
d’orange, 1 d [dash] jus de citron, 3 d [dash] cointreau,
1/2 Dubonnet, 1/2 whisky.
1976 Anonymus: International Guide to Drinks. Seite 49. Dandy.
1/2 rye
1/2 Dubonnet
Dash Angostura bitters
3 dashes Cointreau
Twist of orange and lemon peel
Mixing glass
1976 Harry Craddock: The Savoy Cocktail Book. Seite 56. Dandy Cocktail.
1/2 Rye or Canadian
Whisky.
1/2 Dubonnet.
1 Dash Angostura Bitters.
3 Dashes Cointreau.
1 Piece Lemon Peel.
1 Piece Orange Peel.
Shake well and strain into
cocktail glass.
1977 Stan Jones: Jones’ Complete Barguide. Seite 246. Capetown.
Cocktail Glass Stir
1-1/2 oz rye
1 oz Dubonnet
2 dashes orange curaçao
1 dash orange bitters
Lemon twist
1977 Stan Jones: Jones’ Complete Barguide. Seite 266. Dandy.
Cocktail Glass Stir
1 oz rye (or Bourbon)
1 oz Dubonnet
1/4 oz Cointreau
1 dash Angostura bitters
Lemon twist, Orange peel
1977 Stan Jones: Jones’ Complete Barguide. Seite 268. Deshler.
Cocktail Glass Stir
1-1/2 oz rye whiskey
1 oz Dubonnet
1/4 oz Cointreau
2 Orange peels, Lemon twist
(in mixing glass)
Orange peel
2012 Jim Meehan: Das geheime Cocktail-Buch. Seite 105. Deshler. 4,5 cl Rittenhouse Rye Whiskey 50%; 3 cl Dubonnet Rouge; 0,75 cl Cointreau; 2 Spritzer Peychaud’s Bitters; Garnitur: Orangenzeste.
2015 Sean Muldoon, Jack McGarry & Ben Schaffer: The Dead Rabbit Drinks Manual. Seite 256. Deshler. 1 1/2 ounces Bulleit Rye; 1/2 ounce Contratto Vermouth Rosso; 1/2 ounce Bigallet China China Amer; 1/4 ounce Royal Combier; 4 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters; 4 dahes Pernod Absinthe; garnish: orange peel.
2016 André Darlington & Tenaya Darlington: The New Cocktail Hour. Seite 68. Deshler Cocktail. 60 ml rye whiskey (Rittenhouse); 45 ml Dubonnet Rouge; 7 ml orange curaçao (Pierre Ferrand); 2 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters; garnish: Orange twist.
explicit capitulum
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