ANYONE UP FOR A LITTLE HANKY-PANKY (Cocktails Column

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Anyone up for a little hanky-panky?

While the term has existed for almost two centuries, ‘hanky-panky’ hasn’t always had the salacious meaning it does today. Originally, an accusation of subtle duplicitousness (“I think there’s been some hanky-panky with the accounting…”), the early 20th century saw the phrase evolve to imply something magical or enchanting. It’s this turn-of-the-century interpretation that led to it being adopted as the name of an appropriately enchanting cocktail. Ada ‘Coley’ Coleman, who began working behind the bar of London’s Savoy Hotel in 1903, had worked her way up to the role of Head Bartender at the hotel’s iconic American Bar, an incredible achievement for a woman at the time. As much an institution then as it still is today, her role called on her to create cocktails for the likes of the Prince of Wales, Mark Twain and renowned actor Sir Charles Hawtrey. It was Hawtrey who, exhausted from a day’s performing, parked himself at the bar and said “Coley, I am tired. Give me something with a bit of punch in it.” A keenly experimental mixologist, Coleman stirred together a shot of gin and a shot of sweet vermouth, adding a splash of Fernet before pouring it into a chilled glass and topping with a curl of orange peel. Hawtrey took a sip, then turned to Coleman and said, “by jove, this is the real hankypanky!” The drink had its name and a legend was born.

Like Coleman herself – voted one of the nine most influential bartenders of all time in 2016, this complex take on the sweet martini is now considered an icon of the cocktail world; an example of how just a few quality ingredients can come together to create something magical. The real hanky-panky.

HANKY PANKY

The Hanky Panky cocktail balances the bright, botanical vibrancy of gin with the fruitiness of sweet vermouth. A dash of Fernet Branca imbues the drink with a hit of peppermint, liquorice and citrus zest; flavours perfectly matched with the lemon myrtle, sandalwood and Boronia flower botanicals that make Perth Gin such an exciting spirit. INGREDIENTS:

45ml Perth Gin 45ml Sweet Vermouth 1tsp Fernet Branca METHOD:

Combine all the ingredients in a mixing glass with ice and stir until well-chilled. Strain into a chilled coupette glass. Garnish with a thin slice of orange peel.