Hanky Panky at Salut Bar

This is a short story about the “Hanky Panky” at Salut Bar. Its ingredients are allowed to spend some time together in a barrel. This little affair – hanky-panky, as it is called in English – produces a passionate blend. The drink becomes smoother and the herbal notes less bitter than when freshly stirred. The Tangueray gin, Carpano Classico and Fernet Branca had five weeks to get used to one another. The blend was tasted regularly, and when the right moment arrived, the contents were transferred from barrel to bottle.

 The result is a “Barrel Aged Hanky Panky”. Simple, but with a dash of individuality.

This version tastes delicate, bitter and slightly sweet. Before serving, it is stirred cold, seasoned with a dash of Angostura and finished with the oils from an orange zest. The drink itself is very much a matter of taste, though. My companion tried it and said: “It tastes too brown and too grown-up for me.” Its colour is dark, and the recipe is around a hundred years old. Ada Coleman created the Hanky Panky in the twenties at the American Bar of London’s Savoy Hotel at the request of its famous guest Charles Hawtrey. His comment gave the drink its name: “By Jove. That is the real Hanky Panky!”

As we sipped our drinks on this warm summer evening, I watched the homemade falernum being prepared. I have tried Frankfurt-made versions here before, as well as commercially bought ones. Somehow, I had forgotten about the product, but the bartender kindly reminded me of it with a “Royal Bermuda Yacht Club” to finish. There is plenty of homemade produce here, and it is well worth discovering. Salut, until next time!