Two French aperitif wines give this brandy cocktail both depth and lift: Dubonnet brings dark fruit and quinine, Lillet a honeyed, citrus brightness. Orange juice softens the edges, and a small measure of herbal liqueur ties it together.
1 oz
brandy or cognace.g. Asbach · Torres · Metaxa · Rémy Martin · Hennessy
½ oz
Dubonnet RougeBuy on Amazon →
½ oz
Lillet BlancBuy on Amazon →
½ oz
orange juice freshly squeezed
¼ oz
herbal liqueur e.g. Bénédictinee.g. Jägermeister · Bénédictine · Chartreuse · Kräuterlikör Killepitsch
Garnish: Orange twist · Ice: Served up, no ice
The Blenheim
Fruity and aromatic with dark berries and quinine bitterness from the Dubonnet, honeyed citrus from the Lillet, soft brandy warmth and a gentle herbal finish. Medium strong.
The Blenheim is attributed to Joe Gilmore, the long-serving head bartender of the American Bar at the Savoy Hotel in London, who created a number of drinks to mark occasions in the life of Winston Churchill, a regular guest. According to the usual account, the Blenheim was made for Churchill's 90th birthday in 1964, and its name refers to Blenheim Palace, where Churchill was born.
The original specification is not well documented, and recipes in circulation differ. This version keeps the ingredients that are usually named, brandy, Dubonnet, Lillet Blanc, orange juice and a herbal liqueur, and balances them as a short, aperitif-style cocktail.
It belongs to the tradition of wine-based Savoy cocktails such as the Corpse Reviver No. 2 that use aromatised wines to lighten a spirit base.
It is attributed to Joe Gilmore of the American Bar at the Savoy Hotel in London, reportedly for Winston Churchill's 90th birthday.
It refers to Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, where Winston Churchill was born.
A red quinquina or a sweet red vermouth with a dash of bitters comes close.
The perfect sound
Stately and refined like a palace library.
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