The Hanky Panky is a spirit-forward, stirred cocktail of equal parts London dry gin and sweet vermouth, lifted by a small but assertive measure of Fernet-Branca that gives it a brooding, herbal-bitter backbone. Essentially a sweet martini turned medicinal, it was invented by Ada Coleman, the legendary head bartender of the Savoy's American Bar, for the overworked actor Charles Hawtrey — who, on tasting it, exclaimed that it was "the real hanky-panky." Stirred down and served up with an expressed orange peel, it remains a fixture of the Savoy and an IBA classic.
Garnish: Orange Peel
Stirred · Coupe · None
add
Combine the gin, sweet vermouth, and Fernet-Branca in a mixing glass with ice.
stir
Stir well until thoroughly chilled and diluted.
strain
Strain into a chilled coupe or cocktail glass, served up.
express
Express an orange peel over the surface and drop it in or discard.