Savor an elegant drink with the 20th Century Cocktail recipe! Blend gin, Lillet Blanc, crème de cacao, and lemon juice for a delightful spring cocktail.
Prep time: 1 minute minute
Mixing time: 1 minute minute
- 1½ oz Gin
- ¾ oz Lillet Blanc
- ¾ oz Crème de Cacao
- ¾ oz fresh lemon juice
- Ice cubes
- Lemon twist - for garnish, optional
Cocktail Shaker
Measuring Jigger
Strainer & Fine-strainer
Coupe Glass
Prep Glass: Chill your coupe glass.
Add Lemon Juice: Squeeze and measure ¾ oz fresh lemon juice, then add it to the shaker.
Add Lillet Blanc: Measure and pour ¾ oz Lillet Blanc into the shaker.
Add Crème de Cacao: Add ¾ oz Crème de Cacao to the mix.
Add Gin: Pour 1½ oz Gin into the shaker.
Prep Shaker: Fill your cocktail shaker with ice cubes.
Shake Well: Shake the mixture vigorously for about 15 seconds.
Strain: Fine strain the cocktail into a chilled coupe glass.
Garnish: Place a lemon twist on the rim or in the glass for garnish.
Substitutes:
- Gin: If you don't have gin, try using vodka for a cleaner taste, though it will lack the botanical complexity.
- Lillet Blanc: I've used dry vermouth instead of Lillet Blanc in a pinch; it works but changes the flavor profile slightly.
- Crème de Cacao: You can use white chocolate liqueur as an alternative; it gives the drink a different but interesting twist.
- Lemon Juice: Bottled lemon juice can work if you don't have fresh lemons, but fresh juice always tastes better.
Making a Pitcher of 20th Century Cocktail:
- Scale: To make a pitcher that serves 8, multiply all ingredients by 8. That would be 12 oz of gin, 6 oz of Lillet Blanc, 6 oz of crème de cacao, and 6 oz of fresh lemon juice.
- Mix: In a large pitcher, combine the gin, Lillet Blanc, crème de cacao, and lemon juice with ice. Stir well.
- Serve: Strain the mixture into chilled coupe glasses, garnish with a lemon twist, and serve immediately.
Making it Non-Alcoholic:
- Gin Substitute: Use a non-alcoholic gin substitute; these are available and reasonably mimic gin's botanicals.
- Lillet Blanc Substitute: Opt for a non-alcoholic white wine or grape juice with a splash of tonic syrup for some complexity.
- Crème de Cacao Substitute: Use chocolate syrup or a non-alcoholic chocolate liqueur alternative.
- Proceed As Usual: Use these non-alcoholic substitutes instead of the regular ingredients, follow the original steps, and enjoy a non-alcoholic version.