Updated on: 6/3/2025
The Origins of the Tuxedo Cocktail and Its Storied Name
Distinctive in both look and heritage, the Tuxedo cocktail carries a name with as much elegance as the drink itself. Beyond the recipe, its backstory is woven into the cultural tapestry of fin de siècle New York—and in particular, a single legendary social club that shaped late 19th-century style.
The Tuxedo Club: Birthplace of an Iconic Name
The Tuxedo cocktail is inseparably linked to the Tuxedo Park social club in New York. In the 1880s, Tuxedo Park emerged as an exclusive haven for America’s elite, known for opulent events and a focus on modern refinement. The club famously introduced the British-style short dinner jacket—abbreviated and modernized from traditional tails—to American society. This garment became known as the "tuxedo," and with it, the park’s name became synonymous with formal luxury.
It was in this rarefied setting that the Tuxedo cocktail first emerged, with recipes appearing in New York bar manuals in the early 1900s. The name quickly became shorthand for sophisticated, metropolitan drinking—a Martini variant as smooth and dignified as its fashion counterpart.
Cultural Resonance and Lasting Associations
To call a cocktail "Tuxedo" was to evoke Manhattan’s Gilded Age glamour, elegant attire, and the rituals of the dinner hour. The name persists as a symbol of timeless style; today, ordering one still carries a sense of occasion, recalling an era of white gloves, cut glass, and lively jazz. For bartenders, the Tuxedo’s legacy is also technical—a dry, assertive balance of gin, vermouth, and aromatics that remains a staple of classic mixology.
Tuxedo Cocktail Recipe (Classic Version)
- 45 ml London dry gin
- 22.5 ml dry vermouth
- 7.5 ml maraschino liqueur
- 1 ml absinthe (or absinthe substitute)
- 2 ml orange bitters
- Lemon twist or olive, for garnish
Method: How to Make a Tuxedo Cocktail
- Chill a coupe or Nick & Nora glass.
- Add gin, vermouth, maraschino liqueur, absinthe, and orange bitters into a mixing glass with plenty of ice.
- Stir for 20–25 seconds until well-chilled.
- Strain into the prepared glass.
- Garnish with a thin lemon twist or a single green olive.
Tuxedo Recipe Variations and Tasting Notes
The Tuxedo is often compared to the classic Martini, but its subtle maraschino and absinthe notes set it apart with a delicate, nutty aroma and a faint herbal edge. Some versions double the gin, use only a rinse of absinthe, or replace the lemon with an olive, echoing both the continental and American palate shifts of the early 20th century.
Why the Tuxedo Endures
From its fashionable namesake to its enduring place on cocktail menus, the Tuxedo’s story is about more than a drink. It's an interplay of history and hospitality—a glassful of New York’s golden age, precise and understated, never out of style.