Classic cocktails · Gin · IBA official
Pale, crisp and aromatic, the Casino smells of lemon peel and cherry pit before the gin takes over. It is drier than it looks, with a gentle sweetness from the Old Tom and a bitter orange edge.
1¼ oz
Old Tom gine.g. Hayman's · Ransom · Jensen's · Tanqueray
¼ oz
maraschino liqueure.g. Luxardo · Maraska · Lazzaroni
¼ oz
orange bitters IBA spec; reduce to 2 dashes for a less bitter drinke.g. Angostura · Regans' Orange Bitters · Fee Brothers · The Bitter Truth
¼ oz
lemon juice freshly squeezed
Garnish: Lemon twist and maraschino cherry · Ice: Served up, no ice
Casino
Dry and citrusy with floral cherry notes from the maraschino and a bittersweet orange finish. Strong and spirit-forward.
The Casino is a pre-Prohibition gin sour that appears in early 20th century bar books and was printed in Harry Craddock's Savoy Cocktail Book in 1930. In that era the ingredients were measured in dashes: a glass of Old Tom gin seasoned with maraschino, orange bitters and lemon juice.
The drink is closely related to the Aviation, which uses the same gin, maraschino and lemon but adds crème de violette. The Casino is on the IBA list among the unforgettables. Old Tom gin, slightly sweeter and rounder than London dry, was nearly forgotten for decades and became widely available again only in the 2000s, which helped bring the Casino back to cocktail menus.
A style of gin that is slightly sweeter and rounder than London dry, popular in the 19th century.
Yes, it is on the IBA list in the unforgettables category.
The Aviation adds crème de violette and usually more lemon juice; the Casino relies on orange bitters instead.
The perfect sound
A lucky night at the tables in old Las Vegas.
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