Royal Wedding Cocktails

Fulfill your something-old-something-new quest the liquid way.

Fulfill Your Something-Old-Something-New Quest the Liquid Way

Cocktails are synonymous with celebration, and this week's royal wedding is another opportunity to prove this true. Bartenders have always loved to create bespoke concoctions for brides- and grooms-to-be, from Harry Craddock's historic offerings for Princess Mary in 1922 to the flurry of modern ideas for William and Kate. Here are some fun and fancy drink suggestions to choose from when celebrating the big day on Friday:

Something Old: Princess Mary’s Pride Cocktail

The recipe from Savoy Cocktail Book was invented on Feb. 28, 1922, by Harry Craddock of the Savoy Hotel in London to mark the wedding celebrations of Princess Mary:

2 oz. Calvados or apple brandy 1 oz. Dubonnet ½ oz. dry vermouth

Combine ingredients and shake. Serve in a stemmed cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon peel.

Or, for the Gin Lover: Wedding Belle

Also from the Savoy Cocktail Book, and while no date or specific occasion is referenced, it is likely to be also for Princess Mary's wedding:

1 oz. gin 1 oz. Dubonnet ½ oz. cherry brandy ½ oz. orange juice

Combine ingredients and shake well. Serve in a stemmed cocktail glass. Garnish with an orange twist.

Something New: Royal Balmoral Punch

Created specially for William and Kate's wedding by our master mixologist, Charlotte Voisey:

3 parts Glenfiddich 12-year-old single-malt Scotch whisky 1 part tea-infused simple syrup* 2 parts fresh pressed Granny Smith apple juice Topped with 2 parts traditional lemonade

Combine ingredients in a punch bowl with one large block of ice. Ladle into glass tea cups. Garnish with a thistle flower.

*To make, combine 1 cup hot English breakfast tea, brewed strong, with 1 cup sugar until a syrup is formed.

Again, for a Gin Alternative: Royal Rose

Another of Charlotte's creations for William and Kate's wedding:

2 bar spoons (teaspoons) rose jam 1 oz. Hendrick’s gin ½ oz. freshly squeezed lemon juice 2 oz. champagne

Combine ingredients (except champagne) in a mixing glass. Shake well. Strain into a flute (or Hendrick’s teatime martini cup). Top with champagne. Garnish with a petite rose petal.

Something Borrowed: Honeymoon Cocktail 2011

A classic cocktail from the 1930s, with a twist:

1 oz. Hendrick’s gin 1 oz. Benedictine 1 oz. fresh apple juice ½ oz. freshly squeezed lemon juice 2 dashes Angostura bitters

Combine ingredients and shake well. Strain up into a coupe (rounded martini glass). Garnish with an apple fan dusted lightly with cinnamon.

Something Blue: Blue Diamond

To pay homage to Kate’s engagement ring, passed down from Prince William’s mother, Princess Diana:

1 oz. creme de violette 1/4 oz. Bols Blue Curacao 1/2 oz. Hendrick's gin 1 lemon wedge, squeezed and dropped

Combine ingredients in a mixing glass. Stir with ice. Strain into a flute, top with champagne. Garnish with edible silver.

An internationally acclaimed bartender, and one of the most prolific figures working today, Charlotte Voisey has earned a reputation for developing signature cocktails and managing bars in places as far-flung as New York, San Francisco, London, and Buenos Aires and has become recognized as one of the most accomplished faces in global mixology along the way. Her accolades include being named U.K. Bartender of the Year and Best American Brand Ambassador at Tales of the Cocktails, and developing the cocktail menus at some of the world’s most prestigious bars. She has made regular appearances on such TV shows as The Today Show, Top Chef Masters, Bartender Wars, and the CBS Early Show.

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