The Hanky Panky originated at the Savoy Hotel under the leadership of head bartender Ada Coleman between 1903 and 1926. Reportedly, the drink was made for an actor, Charles Hawtrey, who exclaimed, “By Jove! This is a real hanky panky”. The name stuck, and the drink ended up in the Savoy Cocktail Book. While the original cocktail called for equal parts dry gin and sweet vermouth, most modern variations have upped the gin to move the end drink into something that more closely resembles a Negroni than a Manhattan. With the flavors in question though, either camp should consider giving this one a try.
Hanky Panky
The herbal notes of the gin compliment nicely with the fruitiness and nutty character of the vermouth. The stronger, alpine bitter herbs and the touches of mintiness bring a unique complexity to the mix. The result is something that isn’t completely off base for lovers of Negronis or Manhattans, but cranks the complexity up to 11.
Drink Notes & Recommendations:
The balance in the Hanky Panky is tricky due to the dependency of the amount of Fernet Branca with the sweetness of the vermouth. That said, if you are between an eighth and a quarter of an ounce, you should be quite happy with the results. To a certain degree this depends on your vermouth, with something complex like Carpano Antica being able to stand up to more Fernet. A lot of this will be personal preference, and your mileage may vary.
- Gin – A firm London Dry is going to work best here, standing up to the Fernet and working with sweet vermouth nicely. We used Beefeater, but would also recommend trying this with Tanqueray or Bombay Sapphire.
- Sweet Vermouth – A complex vermouth like Carpano Antica plays well here, but you could also lighten things up something more easy going. The key will be to adjust the balance by bringing the amount of Fernet up or down based on preference.
- Fernet Branca – This Italian digestif is not everyone’s favorite flavor. It’s bitter, it’s herbal, it’s kind of minty, and very polarizing. If you’re not sure if you enjoy it, we recommend you make your first past at this cocktail at 1/8 of an ounce (.125 oz) to determine your enjoyment level. You can also use other Fernets if you happen to find this drink to your liking.
- Glassware – It is appropriate to serve this drink in either a coupe or Nick & Nora.