THE HARVARD

Harvard Cocktail: George Kappeler's 1895 Brandy Manhattan

The original Harvard cocktail—equal parts Italian vermouth and brandy, plus gum syrup and Angostura bitters, stirred, strained and topped with seltzer—first appears in George J. Kappeler's 1895 Modern American Drinks Tuxedo No.2PUNCH. It is named after the Ivy League college of the same name, and was first published by George Kappeler in his 1895 Modern American Drinks Cold Glass.

Essentially a brandy Manhattan, the recipe was originally published as equal parts sweet vermouth and brandy, plus simple syrup and bitters, stirred and topped with seltzer Tuxedo No.2. It's this simple departure from the common Manhattan formula with the seltzer that transforms it from a lesser member of the Manhattan family into something exceptional Tuxedo No.2.

Sother Teague thinks the original equal-parts Harvard was likely poured long, with plenty of seltzer similar to how we think of a spritz, but his version opts for a 2-to-1 ratio of Cognac to vermouth, with a smaller portion of fizz to finish PUNCH. Kappeler's book also features drinks named after Princeton and Yale, suggestive of the blue-blood clientele Kappeler catered to at the Holland House, a Gilded Age hotel PUNCH. Modern versions typically use more cognac than the original equal-parts recipe, creating a drink closer to a Manhattan in structure.

RECIPE:

2 oz cognac or brandy

1 oz sweet vermouth

2 dashes Angostura bitters

¼ oz simple syrup (optional)

Splash of soda water

Method:

1. Add cognac, vermouth, bitters, and simple syrup (if using) to mixing glass with ice

2. Stir until well chilled

3. Strain into chilled coupe glass

4. Top with splash of soda water

5. Garnish with orange twist