Turf Cocktail

* 2 ounces gin
* 3/4 ounce dry vermouth
* 1/4 ounce maraschino liqueur
* 1 dash absinthe
* 1 dash orange bitters
* Lemon twist for garnish

Combine ingredients in an mixing glass and fill with ice. Stir well and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.

I found the Turf cocktail in the latest issue of Imbibe magazine where it was, in turn, adapted from Harry Johnson’s Bartenders’ Manual, circa 1882. Think martini base, but with a bit more vermouth than is usually used these days, plus a hint of maraschino and anise.

I used Pernod instead of absinthe in mine, as the absinthe I have on hand tends tends toward the sweet and can be a bit overpowering. Pernod gave me the anise flavor but helped keep things in balance. I might try increasing the amount of bitters next time, but this was a perfectly good cocktail as-is.