Ada Coleman tended bar at the American Bar in the Savoy Hotel from 1903 to 1924, one of the first female head bartenders in a major London hotel. The Hanky Panky is her most enduring creation, invented for the actor Charles Hawtrey who asked her for "something with a bit of punch in it." Coleman built a Martinez-style stirred drink and added a small dose of Fernet Branca. Hawtrey took a sip and said: "By Jove, this is the real hanky panky."

Ingredients

  • London Dry gin 45ml
  • Sweet vermouth (Italian) 45ml
  • Fernet Branca 5ml (a generous teaspoon)
  • Orange peel to garnish

Method

  1. Add all three liquids to a mixing glass over ice.
  2. Stir 20 to 25 seconds until well chilled and properly diluted.
  3. Strain into a chilled coupe or Nick & Nora glass.
  4. Express the orange peel oils over the surface and drop the peel in.

The Fernet question

Fernet Branca is the loudest amaro on the back bar. Menthol, eucalyptus, myrrh, saffron, gentian, all wrapped around a bracingly bitter herbal core. A full pour of Fernet is a digestif most drinkers either love or refuse. A teaspoon in a Hanky Panky behaves completely differently: it adds depth, dryness, and a herbal echo without dominating.

Measure carefully. 5ml works. 10ml turns the drink medicinal. 2ml is invisible.

The vermouth choice

Use a serious Italian sweet vermouth. Carpano Antica Formula is the reference; Cocchi Vermouth di Torino is the value pick; Martini Rosso is acceptable but flatter.

Once opened, store sweet vermouth in the fridge. Oxidised vermouth (more than 4 weeks open at room temperature) tastes flat and dusty.

What it should taste like

Aromatic, herbal, slightly bitter on the finish. The orange peel oils lift the herbal character. The Fernet shows up at the back of the palate as a mineral, root-vegetable depth. The vermouth gives the body and sweetness. The gin keeps everything dry.

It is essentially a Martinez (gin + sweet vermouth + maraschino) with the maraschino swapped for Fernet, but the swap changes the entire personality.

When to drink it

Aperitivo. Late afternoon. After dinner if the meal was light. The stirred-and-strained format reads cooler than a shaken sour but with more weight than a Negroni.

Related

Frequently asked questions

What glass is the Hanky Panky served in?

A chilled coupe or a Nick & Nora. Up, no ice, stem held for balance. The drink is small (about 100ml in the glass), and the stem keeps the warmth of your hand off the bowl. Coupe is more aesthetic; Nick & Nora holds the cold longer.

Can I substitute the Fernet Branca?

Not really. Fernet's mineral-menthol-bitter character is the entire point of the Hanky Panky. Other amari (Cynar, Averna, Ramazzotti) make a different drink that's still pleasant but not a Hanky Panky. If you cannot get Fernet Branca, swap to maraschino liqueur and you've essentially built a Martinez, which is the drink's older cousin.

How strong is the Hanky Panky?

Around 28 to 30 percent ABV in the glass after stirring and dilution. Comparable to a Martini or a Manhattan. The Fernet is only 5ml so the alcohol load comes mostly from the gin and vermouth. The herbal bitterness slows the drink down naturally, so it sips longer than its strength suggests.

Where can I order a Hanky Panky in PJ or KL?

At Dissolved Solids in Damansara Kim, Petaling Jaya (43-1 Jalan SS20/11, Tue to Sun 15:00 to 01:00, WhatsApp +60 11-4008 7607) and at Soluble Solids in SS2, Petaling Jaya (50-1 Jalan SS2/24, Wed to Sun 18:00 to 01:00, WhatsApp +60 11-1682 8651). Both bars are in Tatler Asia Top 20 Bars 2025/26. We keep Carpano Antica Formula and Fernet Branca on the back bar for this drink.

What food pairs with the Hanky Panky?

Aperitivo plates: cured meats (prosciutto, bresaola, salami), aged hard cheeses (parmigiano, pecorino), olives, fried artichokes. The Fernet's mineral bitterness cuts through fat. For a Malaysian context, the drink stands up to lamb satay or charred kambing kurma. Avoid pairing with anything sweet or anything with strong chilli; the herbal mid-palate gets overwhelmed.