This recipe was first published as part of our cocktail history feature on The Breakfast Martini.

Traditionally this cocktail should be made with a modern gin in the light style – focused less on juniper and more on other botanicals. The dryly spicy Bombay Sapphire was Calabrese’s original choice and works splendidly. But feel free to experiment. The floral notes in some newer gins can be interesting.

Quality marmalade is called for here. The cheap stuff sees citric acid and sugar substitute for flavour. As with synthetic sour mix, this is not the path to a good drink. The ideal marmalade should be based on bitter Seville oranges. Fine shred is easier to measure and mix with than chunky stuff. Calabrese favours the long-established English brand – Wilkin and Sons of Tiptree, Essex.

60ml Modern-style gin (ie., an aromatic gin, light on juniper)
20ml Cointreau
20ml Fresh lemon juice
1 tsp Marmalade

Spoon the marmalade into a cocktail shaker, and muddle together with the other ingredients. Stirring also works but is more labour intensive. Shake over ice and double strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a strip of orange zest.

Due to the marmalade, it is recommended to shake this one slightly longer than usual. The marmalade may also make the straining process slightly messy. Fortunately the results are worth this minor trouble.

This recipe contains a fair bit of sugar, both from the preserves and the liqueur, but flavoursome marmalade with a bitter edge should keep the sweetness in check. As always, adjust the recipe to taste.