Hanky Panky — bartender created this for her favorite customer — then

A bartender created this cocktail for her favorite customer — then refused to write down the recipe. When other bartenders begged her to share it, she’d just smile and say it was her secret. The drink nearly vanished with her.

Ingredients

• 2 oz gin
• 1 oz sweet vermouth
• 2 dash Fernet-Branca
• Garnish: a lemon peel

Method

Grab your mixing glass and fill it with ice. Add the gin first, then the sweet vermouth. Now comes the crucial part — those two dashes of Fernet-Branca. Don’t go heavy here. Fernet is intense, and too much will overpower everything else. Just two quick dashes. Stir for thirty seconds until it’s ice cold. You want proper dilution here — the Fernet needs water to integrate smoothly. Double strain into your coupe. The double strain catches any ice chips that might dilute the drink further.

Serve

Serve this up in a coupe — no ice. Express a lemon peel over the top and drop it in. The citrus oils brighten the dark, herbal flavors.

Pro Tip

If you can’t find Fernet-Branca, don’t substitute another amaro. The drink just won’t be the same. Fernet has this unique minty, eucalyptus quality that other bitter liqueurs can’t match. Some bars use Fernet Vallet, but stick with Branca if you can. Also, use a London Dry gin here. The botanical complexity plays beautifully with the Fernet’s herbal notes.