Drink In History - The Hanky Panky

THE HANKY PANKY

By Lanee Lee

What do witchcraft, a woman barkeep, and the Prince of Wales all have in common?

You guessed it: the Hanky Panky, made of gin, sweet vermouth, Fernet-Branca, and an orange twist served up in a Martini glass or coup. Born at The Savoy Hotel’s American Bar in London, the Hanky Panky was created by Ada Coleman.

Yes, you read that right. A female bartender concocted the Hanky Panky. Ada Coleman, aka “Coley,” as her celebrity clients called her, worked her way up as head bartender in 1903. Working there for more than two decades, she was the first and last female head bartender at American Bar, Britain's oldest surviving cocktail bar that dates back to 1893.

Known for delighting even the most discriminating clientele like Mark Twain, Marlene Dietrich, the Prince of Wales, and Charlie Chaplin, Coleman was inspired to create the tipple for comic actor Charles Hawtrey when he came into the bar after a long day and asked for a drink ‘with punch.’

“[He] was one of the best judges of cocktails that I knew,” Ada Coleman is quoted as saying in the 1925 edition of The People newspaper. “It was for him that I spent hours experimenting until I had invented a new cocktail,” she said.

The next time the comedian came in, she stirred up her punchy creation and served it. First, he sipped it. And then proceeded to drain it down, proclaiming, “By jove! That is the real hanky-panky!” The name stuck, and the rest is history. Interesting to note: In those days, the term ‘hanky panky’ wasn’t associated with sex or shady dealings. It simply referred to trickery or magic.

The first time the Hanky Panky appears in print was in the 1930 cocktail book, The Savoy Cocktail Book by Harry Craddock (also, her successor as head barkeep at the hotel bar). No doubt, Ada Coleman probably created dozens if not hundreds of cocktails during her time at the American Bar, but the Hanky Panky is what she’s known for. And yes, her legacy lives on.

Rumor has it they serve it two ways: Coleman’s original recipe and a barrel-aged Hanky Panky with four types of gin.

We can just imagine Ada looking down proudly and seeing how far the bar profession has come—not only embracing but celebrating women’s contributions. And for that, we raise a glass to Ada Coleman and her iconic glass ceiling-cracking legacy.

Ada Coleman at the Savoy Hotel's American Bar, London

Hanky Panky

INGREDIENTS 1 ½ oz. gin 1 ½ oz. sweet vermouth 2 dashes Fernet-Branca Orange twist (for garnish)

PREPARATION Add ingredients to mixing glass with ice and stir until well chilled. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with orange twist.