Earlier this year, my sister and I went on an epic weekend trip to London. When the immigration the officer asked us what we were planning on doing in the UK, she replied, “A lot of drinking, to be honest with you.” And it was true. We did our best to hit all of my bucket-list London bars, including Nightjar and the American Bar at the Savoy Hotel. We also went to Milk & Honey, a Soho branch of the famous New York speakeasy that essentially started the modern craft cocktail movement. It was here that we tried the London Calling.
It was an appropriate cocktail choice for a number of reasons. First, the name, obviously. Second, we had been picking sherry cocktails off of every menu we saw (the Jerezana at Happiness Forgets was another favorite). And third, it was actually invented at the very bar in which we were sitting in 2002, and is the only drink to have stayed on their menu ever since. It’s a perfect choice for right now as well, because it’s International Sherry Week. Social media has been full of awesome sherry cocktail recipes, and I’m happy to add this new classic to the mix. If you’re a sherry newbie, it’s a great place to start. There’s only a half ounce of Fino (a very dry sherry) in the recipe – just enough to give the drink some complexity and introduce that light, nutty flavor. If you like a Bee’s Knees, you’ll love a London Calling.
London Calling
1.5 oz. gin
1/2 oz. fino sherry
1/2 oz. lemon juice
1/2 oz. simple syrup
2 dashes orange bitters
Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice and shake until chilled. Strain into a coupe and garnish with a grapefruit twist.