Tuxedo No. 2

Here's another Martini style cocktail that takes the basic Gin and Dry Vermouth mixture and really expands on it. Yes, the Tuxedo No. 2 is a bit more complicated than a basic Gin Martini, but it makes the cocktail come very much into its own. Yes, the Tuxedo No. 2 has Gin in it, but it replaces the Dry Vermouth with a Bianco Vermouth then goes on to add Absinthe, Maraschino Liqueur, and a pretty liberal addition of Orange Bitters. Sure, it started out as a Martini, but it's become so much more.

As the name would suggest, there was a Tuxedo cocktail before the Tuxedo No. 2. This was a lot simpler and was just made of Gin, Sherry, and Orange Bitters. However, with the invention of the Tuxedo No. 2, the original was all but forgotten.

Like so many older pre-prohibition cocktails, the Tuxedo No. 2, like the original, fell out of fashion for awhile, but has been re-remembered in recent years as people come back to the classics. And now its your term to come back too.

Total Time 4

Servings 1 cocktail

Ingredients

10 mL Absinthe to rinse
70 mL Gin
15 mL Bianco Vermouth
10 mL Maraschino Liqueur
4 dashes Orange Bitters

Instructions

Rinse a glass of your choosing with the Absinthe. Discard the remaining Absinthe.
All everything else to a mixing glass and stir with ice.
Strain into your Absinthe rinsed glass.
Garnish with a twist of Orange.
Serve and enjoy.

Notes

We've seen difference recommendations on the style of Gin for the Tuxedo No. 2. Some are specifying Old Tom Gin, others are saying to use Plymouth Gin. We haven't seen any recipes that specify a London Dry or any other kind of Gin, but you're welcome to experiment with the Gin you like or the Gin you have on hand. It may seem like the type of Gin doesn't matter, but it does! Different Gins have different characteristics and interact with the other ingredients in different ways. But ultimately, see what you like the best.

Speaking of ingredients, don't be tempted to use just a normal Dry Vermouth or Sweet Vermouth in lieu of the Bianco Vermouth. A Bianco Vermouth isn't quite as dry as a Dry Vermouth, and far from being as sweet as a Sweet Vermouth. All in all, it's a completely different style of Vermouth, so that's what you should use!

Want to Know More About the Tuxedo No. 2?

Although there are a few ingredients to this cocktail, it’s pretty simple to make. For more novice cocktail makers, having ingredients like Maraschino Liqueur or even Orange Bitters in the house may seem like a stretch, but once you get these things, you’ll realise that they’re the basics of a great bar. Seriously, check it out! Put your current bar into our cocktail generator and then try the same ingredients with the addition of Maraschino Liqueur, it really opens up a bunch of recipes.

And if you’re just getting started with Maraschino Liqueur, why not get stared with a wonderful cocktail like the Tuxedo No. 2. You really can’t go wrong here.

Does this cocktail still work if I make more than one at a time?

Yes it does. If you just add more ingredients to the mixing glass, the recipe still works. Basically, it’s easy to increase the recipe for the Tuxedo No. 2 and make as many cocktails as you want. Just be aware that you still need to rinse all the glasses with Absinthe individually. If you have friends around and you want to make a few cocktails quickly, you may want to have a friend work on doing the Absinthe rinse while you get everything ready in the mixing glass Then everyone will have their cocktail quickly!

What happens if I don’t serve the Tuxedo No. 2 right away? Will it still taste alright?

If you want to pre-make a Tuxedo No. 2, we’d suggest measuring everything, stirring it up, then storing it in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to serve the cocktail, do the Absinthe rinse, then pour everything into glasses. Everything should still taste great.

What’s the best time to drink a Tuxedo No. 2?

The Tuxedo No. 2 is a great cocktail party cocktail. As mentioned, there are a lot more ingredients in the Tuxedo No. 2 compared to your standard Gin Martini, but it’s actually still a pretty simple and easy cocktail to make.

If you’re having people over for cocktails, it may be fun to put the Tuxedo No. 2 on the menu in lieu of a Martini. While it’s still easy to make, the Tuxedo No. 2 is a little more interesting and impression than a simple mixture of Gi and Dry Vermouth.

How strong is the Tuxedo No. 2?

The Tuxedo No. 2 is a bit stronger than a Gin Martini but no too much stronger. If you’re used to drinking Martinis, you’ll find you can’t have quite as many Tuxedo No. 2’s as you would Martinis. So take your time when having this cocktail. There are a lot of great flavours in there, so enjoy them rather than going too quickly.

What kind of music would you play while drinking a Tuxedo No. 2?

Go with something classy that’s worth of a cocktail named after a tuxedo! We think the Tuxedo No. 2 is a great cocktail party cocktail, so put on some light but classy background music and serve up some of these to friends. The music shouldn’t be the centre of attention. Perhaps some light Jazz or even some mellow classical music.

Basically whatever you’d play at a fancy cocktail party would work for music here.

Looking for more cocktail recipes?

If you liked the Tuxedo No. 2, perhaps you’d like to browse more cocktail recipes? Here you go.

All Martini style cocktails: whether you’re looking for the classic Martini or an interesting spin, browse through more recipes inspired by this simple recipe.

All Gin cocktail recipes: Gin is a great base spirit for cocktails, and if you like Gin, you’ll like these cocktail recipes!

Top Gin cocktail recipes: here are our favourite Gin cocktail recipes. Enjoy!