how to make an alexander martini drink

An Alexander is a drink that originated sometime in the early 20th century. The drink uses Rye whiskey as its base spirit. I found the drink originally in the Straub’s Manual of Cocktail Drinks, which was published in the early 1910s. This was probably before the invention of another class of drinks by the same name.

In modern times an Alexander is usually a drink that is made with a base spirit, cacao liqueur and cream. Despite sharing the same name, this is a different class of drink. There are several similar drinks, some of which add bitters to the drink and is usually also known by other names: Monte Carlo or Kentucky Colonel etc.

The Benedictine liqueur is a French herbal liqueur that was developed and produced in 19th century by French monks. This liqueur has a very unique taste that helps to sweeten the whiskey with aromatic flavors.

Ingredients

  • 3 shots of Rye Whiskey
  • 1 shot of Benedictine
  • An orange peel for garnish

Preparation or Recipe

  1. Add ice cubes into a martini shaker
  2. Add 3 shots of Rye Whiskey into the shaker
  3. Add a shot of Benedictine into the shaker
  4. Shake well to mix the ingredients
  5. Strain the contents of the shaker into a chilled martini glass
  6. Garnish the drink with a twisted orange peel
alexander martini cocktail

Variations and Similar Drinks

  • Kentucky Colonel: Orange bitters are added to this recipe and Bourbon is used as the base spirit.
  • Monte Carlo: Angostura bitters added to the recipe. The base spirit remains the same.
  • Bobby Burns: The base spirit is Scotch Whiskey in this drink. There is also sweet vermouth in this drink in addition to the Benedictine.

Notes and Tips

  • This drinks is different from the Brandy Alexander cocktail, which follows the modern day class of drinks known by the same name.
  • The most popular Benedictine liqueur is called D.O.M. Benedictine, which is the original.