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Tuxedo No 2 cocktail in a coupe glass.

Tuxedo No. 2

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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 minutes
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!