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Imagine you’re seated at a bar, expressing a desire for a whiskey-based beverage. The bartender enthusiastically replies, “Fantastic, we currently have two whiskey cocktail offerings,” directing your gaze to a chalkboard displaying two options: a “Whiskey Cocktail” and an “Improved Whiskey Cocktail.” Which one do you pick?

Doesn’t this scenario feel like a sort of trick? Comparable to seeing an eatery named Excellent Eatery? To me, the Improved Whiskey Cocktail’s designation feels similar to playing the Old Maid card game with a child of eight, attempting to overlook the conspicuously elevated middle card that they are now slightly moving. I’ll clarify that it’s not a ruse; the Improved Whiskey Cocktail is a nuanced and magnificent version of the Old Fashioned. However, to comprehend the reason behind its quirky title, we need a history lesson dating back a couple of centuries to what might be referred to as the genesis in this context.

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In contemporary terms, the words “cocktail” and “mixed drink” are often used interchangeably. This, however, has not always been the case. In the past, a cocktail was not a category but a distinct recipe. First mentioned in 1806, a cocktail was described as “spirits of any kind, sugar, water, and bitters”. Therefore, when you asked for a Whiskey Cocktail in a tavern, you would be served a drink comprised of whiskey, sugar, water, or ice, and bitters.

The initial book on drinks, published in 1862, sees Jerry Thomas compile recipes for 13 varieties of these so-called “cocktails”. These recipes mainly revolved around different base spirits with nearly the same instructions. For instance, Brandy Cocktail, Gin Cocktail, Champagne Cocktail, and so on. In the 1876 edition of his book, he added an appendix with a new range of drinks. He proudly declared, “The following additional recipes include all the latest inventions in Beverages,” before introducing us to Collins’, Fizzes, and Daisies. Significantly, he also mentioned Improved Cocktails, which were named so due to the inclusion of maraschino liqueur and absinthe, two new trendy ingredients.

Absinthe was extremely popular, particularly mentioned by David Wondrich in his authoritative book Imbibe. He references a bartender, likely Jerry Thomas himself, stating, “pretty near every drink I mix has a dash of the green stuff in it.” Both absinthe and maraschino liqueur, present since a while, appear in Thomas’s 1862 book, showing their potential together, especially when used in small quantities. Absinthe is a strong spirit with licorice and wormwood flavours but can enhance and deepen any drink’s experience in small amounts.

The Sazerac cocktail, featuring a dash of absinthe, might seem familiar, but the Improved Whiskey Cocktail predates it by 30 years. This drink hails from a time when cocktails weren’t as many or as creatively named. Upgrading a standard Old Fashioned Whiskey Cocktail with a hint of maraschino liqueur’s earthy, fruity aroma and the depth of absinthe transforms it into an Improved Whiskey Cocktail, a name as straightforward as it gets.

2 oz. rye whiskey

0.375 oz. maraschino liqueur

2 dashes Angostura Bitters

2 dashes (or about ½ tsp.) of absinthe

Put as large a piece of ice as you have that will fit into a rocks glass. Carefully add the liquids and stir for about 10 seconds to combine and begin to chill. Take a lemon peel, express the oils over the top of the drink, give the peel a twist, and place it into the drink.

NOTES ON INGREDIENTS

Whiskey: It’s a given that Whiskey can be paired with almost any spirit, but for the ultimate experience, Rye is the way to go. Although Bourbon is an excellent choice, it can slightly overpower the taste of Maraschino. On the other hand, Rye Whiskey, with its mild taste, complements the Maraschino perfectly. After testing four different kinds of rye whiskey, Michter’s Rye turned out to be the top pick as it accentuated the taste of Maraschino and brought out a lovely cinnamon spice from the bitters. But frankly, any rye will work wonders.

Maraschino Liqueur: Don’t confuse Maraschino Liqueur with the shiny red cherries typically found in children’s ice cream. Instead, it’s a derivative of Marasca cherries, a sour variant found near the Adriatic sea in Italy and Croatia. Unlike other liqueurs which infuse flavours, Maraschino Liqueur is distilled from cherries. It retains a subtle fruity essence, but balances it with earthy, floral, and uniquely charming elements.

While there are various brands available, most stores will carry one or two, with Luxardo being the most common one. It has the aforementioned distinct taste, while Maraska is more fruit-forward, providing more of a cherry fruit taste than a cherry pit flavour. Both are excellent options for our purposes.

Bitters: Numerous online recipes suggest mixing a bit of Peychaud’s Bitters with the Angostura Bitters, seemingly in reference to the Sazerac cocktail. Doing so, however, can obscure the original flavour and give it a rather medicinal aftertaste. When it comes to choosing between Peychaud’s and Angostura, stick with Angostura. Though Peychaud’s is splendid and essential in a Sazerac, it’s best used there.

Absinthe: Absinthe is a botanical product, like gin, and even with similar botanicals, different absinthes can differ wildly based on the quality and type of botanicals, how and when they’re added, etc. My previous recommendation was to choose one absinthe and stick to it, as it’s expensive and it lasts for long as you’ll use limited quantity in cocktails. However, after managing an absinthe bar for a year, I’ve come to appreciate the effect different brands can have on various cocktails. Every cocktail has its “ideal” absinthe, and thinking that one absinthe is the best for all cocktails is unreasonable.

However, considering one’s budget and space, my advice is two-fold: For this cocktail, my favorite was a mild but expressive blanche like the La Fée Blanche or La Clandestine, but generally speaking, if you were to buy only one bottle, it would be some of “the green stuff,” like Butterfly Classic or Pernod.

Simple Syrup: There are several cocktail recipes that divide the small amount of sweetness into half maraschino, half simple syrup. I personally don’t agree. Maraschino can be a divisive flavor (you can refer the arguments about the Hemingway Daiquiri for more on this) but there’s so little of it here I would want more, not less. Thomas’s original 1876 recipe split the sweetness, so maybe some people are just being historically accurate or they disagree about the maraschino. Either way, feel free to ignore the simple syrup request. A little maraschino is sweet enough.

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