First documented in the late 1800’s, the East India Cocktail combines Cognac, curaçao, fruit syrup, bitters, and Maraschino liqueur. The drink has been tweaked, misattributed, and misunderstood for over a century, with the fruit syrup presenting one of biggest lingering question marks. What should said fruit be? How are we making the syrup? And what is such a bespoke ingredient doing in a 19th-century cocktail in the first place?
Here to answer all of those questions is Chicago-based Abe Vucekovich, beverage director at Meadowlark Hospitality. In this episode, we’ll embark on an international history lesson, discuss the interaction between tropical fruit and aged spirits, and consider how to apply some molecular mixology techniques to this drink.
Get ready for a crash course on centrifuges, Cognac, curaçao, coconut, and candied garnishes. It’s all right here on the “Cocktail College” podcast. Tune in for more and don’t forget to apply to VinePair’s Best New Bartender competition here!
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Abe Vucekovich’s East India Cocktail Recipe
Ingredients
- 2-3 dashes Angostura Bitters
- 1 barspoon – ¼ ounce pineapple syrup (depending on Cognac proof)
- ¼ ounce Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
- ½ ounce curaçao, such as Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao
- 2 ouncesCognac, such as Pierre Ferrand 1840, Bertoux Brandy, or Sacred Bond Brandy
- Garnish: pineapple wedge and skewered cherry
Directions
- Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with ice.
- Stir until chilled and strain into a rocks glass over a large cube of ice.
- Garnish with pineapple wedge and skewered cherry, set on the glass’s rim.
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