Cocktail & Other Recipes By Spirit Cognac & Other Brandy Cocktails

Princess Mary’s Pride

Written by
Liquor.com
Updated 03/28/21
burgundy-colored Princess Mary’s Pride cocktail in a short-stemmed cocktail glass, garnished with an orange twist
Image:

Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

The year was 1922. Princess Mary of the British royal family was set to marry Henry George Charles Lascelles, the sixth Earl of Harewood. Naturally, a proper cocktail was required to commemorate the occasion. Legendary bartender and author Harry Craddock knew just the one.

Craddock made the Princess Mary’s Pride in 1922, later immortalizing it in the 1930 edition of “The Savoy Cocktail Book.” He mixed together Calvados (a French apple brandy), Dubonnet rouge (a French wine-based aperitif) and dry vermouth. It’s a variation on the Perfect Manhattan, which calls for whiskey, sweet vermouth, dry vermouth and aromatic bitters. In this case, the Calvados takes the place of whiskey, and Dubonnet rouge subs in for the sweet vermouth, creating a drink that is fruit-forward and floral.

Craddock’s original recipe curiously instructs for this cocktail to be shaken, bucking the convention to stir drinks that are made with all spirits and do not contain any juice or creamy elements. Craddock is one of the most famous bartenders of all time and is responsible for one of the industry’s most important tomes. So, maybe he had a reason for shaking this drink, or perhaps it was merely an oversight.

Either way, bartending veteran and brand ambassador Charlotte Voisey, who shared this recipe, follows the typical rules (and modern practice) that suggests stirring the cocktail with ice before straining it into a cocktail glass. This creates a smooth and silky drink that is free of any unnecessary ice shards. Garnish with an orange twist for a hint of zesty citrus, and raise a glass to Princess Mary.

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces Calvados (or other apple brandy)

  • 1 ounce Dubonnet rouge

  • 1/2 ounce dry vermouth

  • Garnish: orange twist

Steps

  1. Add the Calvados, Dubonnet rouge and dry vermouth to a mixing glass with ice and stir until well-chilled.

  2. Strain into a cocktail glass.

  3. Garnish with an orange twist.