The Man o’ War cocktail is the namesake for one of the greatest Thoroughbred horses of all time. Winning 20 out of the 21 races he ran in, Man o’ War also won the 1920 Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes (someone made a huge mistake not letting him compete in the Kentucky Derby). After his racing career, the famed Thoroughbred’s gene were passed onto the Triple Crown winner War Admiral, Seabiscuit, Seattle Slew, Buckpasser, and even the 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharaoh. As his name was cemented into American history, it seems only fitting that his cocktail would be as well.
Unlike the Thoroughbred legend, however, little is actually known about the cocktail named in his honor. Some cocktail historians advocate that the drink was invented in the 1950s, while others claim it popped up during the height of the horse’s fame in the 1920s. The unfortunate timing of Prohibition would explain why there isn’t written evidence of the cocktail from that time. Either way, the Man o’ War drink joins the pantheon of horse racing-related libations including the Mint Julep, Preakness, Belmont Jewel, Black-eyed Susan, Keeneland Breeze, Woodford Spire, and Jockey Club. Not a bad club to be part of, if you ask us.
The modern recipe is a heart-racing combination of bourbon, orange curaçao, sweet vermouth, and lemon juice. It’s a smooth and sweet blend that we bet you’ll be racing to finish.
Man o’ War
Equipment
- 1 Cocktail Shaker
- 1 Cocktail Glass
Ingredients
- 2 ounces Bourbon
- 1 ounce Orange Liqueur
- ½ ounce Sweet Vermouth
- ½ ounce Lemon Juice
- 1 twist Lemon (garnish)
Instructions
- To a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add 2 ounces of Bourbon, 1 ounce of Orange Liqueur, ½ ounce Sweet Vermouth, and ½ ounce of fresh lemon juice.
- Shake until the drink is very chilled.
- Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
- Garnish with a twist of lemon.
