Who invented the Hanky Panky?

Ada Coleman, head bartender of the American Bar at the Savoy Hotel in London, created it in the early twentieth century.

What does a Hanky Panky taste like?

Like a sweet martini with a cool, herbal, bitter finish from the Fernet-Branca, lifted by orange oil.

Hanky Panky Cocktail: Ada Coleman's Savoy Classic and Recipe

The Hanky Panky appeared on the old Bar Pleiades menu credited simply to "Ada Coleman, American Bar." That short credit hides a remarkable story. Coleman was one of the first celebrity bartenders, a woman running the most famous bar in London at a time when very few women worked behind any bar at all.

Ada Coleman

Ada "Coley" Coleman learned to mix drinks in the early 1900s and became head bartender of the American Bar at the Savoy Hotel in London, a post she held for over two decades until her retirement in 1926. American-style bars, serving mixed drinks over a counter rather than beer and wine, were fashionable in Edwardian London, and the Savoy's was the most fashionable of all. Coleman served royalty, writers, actors and visiting Americans, and she was famous for her conversation as much as her drinks.

Her successor, Harry Craddock, went on to publish The Savoy Cocktail Book in 1930. It remains one of the most important cocktail books ever written, and it includes the Hanky Panky.

A drink with some punch

The story, told by Coleman herself in a later newspaper interview, is that the drink was created for the actor Sir Charles Hawtrey, a regular at the bar. Tired and asking for "something with a bit of punch in it," he was given an experiment. After the first sip he reportedly said, "By Jove! That is the real hanky-panky!" and the name stayed.

The "punch" came from Fernet-Branca, the intensely bitter Italian amaro flavored with herbs and spices including saffron, myrrh, chamomile and gentian. Just two dashes transform a simple sweet martini into something darker and more interesting.

The recipe

Coleman's drink is equal parts gin and sweet vermouth, plus Fernet-Branca. The quantities of Fernet are small, but they matter: too little and you will not notice it, too much and it takes over.

Gin: a classic London dry gin. Juniper needs to stand up to the vermouth.
Sweet vermouth: a rich, Italian-style vermouth with vanilla and spice. Keep it fresh and refrigerated.
Fernet-Branca: about two dashes, or 2.5 to 5 ml. Start low.

Stir with ice for about 20 to 25 seconds, strain into a chilled coupe or Nick and Nora glass, and express an orange peel over the surface. The orange is not optional: its oil bridges the herbal bitterness of the Fernet and the sweetness of the vermouth.

How it tastes

The first impression is of a sweet martini, juniper and wine. Then the Fernet arrives with a cool, minty bitterness and a long herbal finish. It is a perfect pre-dinner drink, assertive enough to wake up the palate without being heavy. If you like it, you will probably also enjoy the Martinez, its nineteenth century cousin.

Variations

Swap the Fernet for another amaro, such as Cynar, for an earthier drink.
Use an Old Tom gin for a slightly sweeter, rounder version.
Change the ratio to 2:1 gin to vermouth for a drier drink.

The Savoy before Craddock

Ada Coleman, known as "Coley," became head bartender of the American Bar at the Savoy Hotel in London in the early 1900s and held the post for about two decades, until 1926. She was succeeded by Harry Craddock, whose Savoy Cocktail Book of 1930 made him world famous and included the Hanky Panky. Craddock's fame has sometimes overshadowed Coleman's, but in her time she was one of the best-known bartenders in Europe, serving guests from the theater, politics and high society.

The story of the drink comes from Coleman herself. The actor Sir Charles Hawtrey, a regular, asked for something "with a bit of punch in it." She experimented for hours and gave him a sweet martini with Fernet-Branca. He drained it and said, "By Jove! That is the real hanky-panky!"

About Fernet-Branca

Fernet-Branca is an Italian amaro made in Milan since 1845, flavored with a closely guarded mix of herbs and spices including saffron, myrrh, chamomile and gentian. It is intensely bitter and minty. In the Hanky Panky, a tiny amount transforms gin and vermouth; too much takes over entirely. Measure it with a bar spoon or a dasher bottle.

Proportions to try

Style	Gin	Sweet vermouth	Fernet-Branca
Savoy (equal parts)	45 ml	45 ml	2 dashes
Drier, gin-forward	60 ml	30 ml	2.5 ml
Richer, for a nightcap	40 ml	50 ml	5 ml

Common mistakes

Too much Fernet. It is a seasoning, not a base spirit.
A weak gin. Use a classic London dry gin with clear juniper; delicate floral gins disappear.
Shaking. Stir it. It should be silky and clear.
Skipping the orange. The expressed orange peel ties the bitter herbs and sweet vermouth together.

Women behind the bar

Coleman was not the only woman working at the Savoy's American Bar: Ruth Burgess, known as "Miss B" or "Kitty," was already tending bar there when Coleman arrived, and contemporary newspapers describe both as popular with guests. But it was Coleman who became the star, and her long career is a reminder that the history of bartending is more varied than the image of the moustached nineteenth century barman suggests. Today, many of the world's most respected bartenders are women, and Coleman's name is often mentioned with pride when they tell the story of their craft.

Coleman's legacy

Ada Coleman's career is a reminder that the history of bartending is not only a history of men in waistcoats. When modern bars print a bartender's name next to a classic recipe, as many now do, they are honoring that history. It is one of the reasons we always try to include the origin of a drink in our cocktail index. If you want to explore other bitter, herbal drinks, read our guide to the aperitif.

The Hanky Panky and Ada Coleman of the Savoy's American Bar