It’s that time of year again, when the cold starts to break and warmer weather gradually begins to grace us with its presence.As the seasons change, we often seek out and welcome food and drink that reflects our surroundings.When things start to heat up, our desire for beverages that quench our thirst and cool us off grows exponentially with the increase in temperature.In a world filled with slushies and punches, there is one classic cocktail that has been helping us usher in Spring and Summer for centuries: Sangria
COCKTAIL: HARVARD
Full Ingredients list
- 1.5oz Lustau Vermut Rojo
- 1.5oz Cognac
- 1tsp Simple Syrup
- 3 dashes Angostura Bitters
- .5oz Club Soda
- Garnish: Lemon Twist
Recipe author: Steven Dragun
WHICH VERMOUTH IS BEST FOR A HARVARD COCKTAIL?
The best vermouth for a Harvard cocktail is sweet red vermouth. Traditionally, most classic cocktail recipes call for Italian or French vermouth, but this may be due to the fact that Spanish vermouths were lesser known and not readily available during the pre-prohibition days.
ABOUT LUSTAU VERMUT ROJO
For our Harvard cocktail, we decided to use the Lustau Vermut Rojo, as it is the closest to a traditional Italian or French vermouth. Lustau’s Vermut Rose could also work, and would be an interesting variation to investigate, but for the sake of tradition, we thought our Rojo Vermut was a better fit.
HARVARD COCKTAIL RECIPE
- Add the first five ingredients to a mixing glass (Lustau Vermut Rojo, cognac, simple syrup, Angostura bitters and club soda)
- Add ice, and stir for 30 seconds
- Strain into a chilled Couple glass
- Top with club soda
- Express lemon oil over the drink, and garnish with a lemon twist
TIPS FOR MAKING A HARVARD COCKTAIL
It’s hard to say what “the best” recipe is for any given sherry cocktail, given the fact that everyone has a different palate and different preferences. Therefore, we encourage you to try a variety of vermouths and/or brandy de Jerez (or both!) in order to find your ideal recipe of the Harvard cocktail. We are confident, you will be partial to Lustau.
HARVARD COCKTAIL VARIATIONS
Delmonico Cocktail – Harvard recipe variation
- .75oz London Dry Gin
- .5oz Cognac
- .5oz Lustau Rojo Vermouth
- .5oz Dolin Dry Vermouth
- 2 dashes Angostura Bitters
- Garnish: Lemon Twist
Harvard cocktail with Brandy variation
- 1.5oz Lustau Rojo Vermut
- 1.5oz Lustau Solera Gran Reserva Brandy
- 1tsp Simple Syrup
- 3 dashes Angostura Bitters
- .5oz Club Soda
- Garnish: Lemon Twist
Palo Cortado Cocktail – Harvard variation with Palo cortado
- 1.5oz Lustau Palo Cortado Sherry
- 1.5oz Cognac
- 1tsp Simple Syrup
- 4 Dashes Orange Bitters
- .5oz Club Soda
- Garnish: Orange Twist
FAQ
What is the best cognac for a Harvard cocktail?
There are many great Cognacs to choose from for your Harvard cocktail, but we really love Pierre Ferrand 1840 Cognac as it is very well balanced and is a quintessential example of a traditional Cognac.
How to garnish the Harvard cocktail?
To garnish your Harvard cocktail, take your lemon twist and gently squeeze the peel over the drink in order to express the oils on top of the drink.
How strong is the Harvard cocktail?
The Harvard cocktail is a medium boozy drink as the equal parts ratio of vermouth to brandy lowers the overall ABV, versus a standard Manhattan, which is more whiskey forward.
What is the best cocktail to make with Vermouth?
The best cocktail to showcase sweet vermouth is any recipe that uses at least an equal parts ratio of vermouth to spirit. In that case, the Harvard cocktail is a wonderful example of a great sweet vermouth cocktail.
