The Hanky Panky is a classic stirred cocktail made with gin, sweet vermouth, and a small measure of Fernet Branca. It is herbal, bitter, aromatic, and richer than a Martini-style gin drink.
Stir gin, sweet vermouth, and Fernet Branca with ice until chilled. Strain into a chilled coupe glass and express one orange peel over the drink.
Serve up in a chilled coupe glass with one expressed orange peel. The drink should look dark amber-red, with orange oil lifting the gin, vermouth, and Fernet Branca aroma.
Pair it with blue cheese, charcuterie, roasted mushrooms, lamb, dark chocolate, or orange desserts. Gin, sweet vermouth, Fernet Branca, and orange peel make the Hanky Panky strong with rich and bitter foods.
The Hanky Panky was created by Ada Coleman at the American Bar in London and became one of the most famous early twentieth-century gin and vermouth classics. Fernet Branca gives the drink its defining bitter-herbal twist.
Best for stirred classic service, after-dinner drinking, gin lovers, and guests who want a bitter herbal cocktail with historic character.
Gin brings botanicals, sweet vermouth adds wine sweetness and herbs, Fernet Branca contributes menthol bitterness and spice, and orange peel gives a bright aromatic top note.
Classic, bitter, herbal, aromatic, and confident.
Keep Fernet Branca measured carefully. Too much can dominate the drink, while too little makes it read like a simple gin and sweet vermouth cocktail.
28%
⚠️ Alcoholic beverage: not suitable for minors, pregnant individuals, or designated drivers. Please enjoy responsibly.
Start from the ingredient that shapes this recipe before moving into broader style, method or glassware lists.
Same ingredient inside the Spirit Forward style.
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Cocktails in the Spirit Forward category served in a coupe glass.
Cocktails prepared with the stirred method and served in a coupe glass.
Cocktails that combine a spirit forward profile, the stirred method, and service in a coupe glass.
These routes use ingredient pairs that actually appear in Hanky Panky and group cocktails with the same pairing logic.
Cocktails where Gin and Sweet Vermouth appear together in the recipe structure.
Hanky Panky sits around 28% ABV. Use these routes to compare drinks with a similar drinking weight, then narrow them by style, method or glass.
Cocktails in the Spirit Forward category with 25–32% ABV.
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