Swedish punsch brings arrack spice and a honeyed sweetness, lemon cuts straight through it, and gin keeps the whole thing crisp. Served ice cold in a coupe, it tastes like a lighter, more aromatic rum sour.
1 oz
London dry gine.g. Tanqueray · Gordon's · Beefeater · Bombay Sapphire · Sipsmith
1 oz
Swedish punsche.g. Kronan · Carlshamns
¾ oz
lemon juice freshly squeezed
Garnish: Lemon twist · Ice: Served up, no ice
Doctor Cocktail
Tangy lemon over sweet arrack spice, with juniper in the background. Medium strength and quite juicy.
Drinks called Doctor or Doctor Cocktail appear in cocktail books from the early twentieth century onward, and Harry Craddock's Savoy Cocktail Book of 1930 prints the drink as Swedish punsch shaken with citrus juice. Other versions add rum, and the choice of lemon, lime or orange juice varies from book to book.
What unites them is Swedish punsch, an arrack-based Scandinavian liqueur that was widely available in bars before Prohibition. This version uses gin as a base, which makes it lighter and more herbal than the rum-based variants. The origin of the name is not documented.
Specialist spirit shops and Scandinavian stores sell it; Kronan and Carlshamns are well-known brands.
The origin of the name is not recorded in any reliable source.
Yes, strain it over a large cube in a rocks glass if you prefer a slower, more diluted drink.
The perfect sound
A lively speakeasy evening with trumpets and tap shoes.
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