Other Spirits: Vermouth
Old Hickory Cocktail
Old Hickory Cocktail Ingredients
1.25 oz. Carpano Antica Formula Vermouth
1.75 oz. Dolin Dry Vermouth
4 dashes Bittercube Orange Bitters
3 dashes Peychaud's Bitters
Garnish
Orange twist
Old Hickory Cocktail Preparation
Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass and add ice. Stir 25-35 times. Strain into a double rocks glass and add ice. Garnish with an orange twist.
Old Hickory Cocktail Story
The ultimate New Orleans aperitif, the Old Hickory first appeared in print in Stanley C. Arthur’s 1934 Famous New Orleans Drinks and How to Mix ‘Em. The moniker refers to future U.S. president Andrew Jackson's nickname, bestowed upon him for his characteristic fortitude as he led his troops through the Battle of New Orleans in the winter of 1815. It’s unlikely Old Hickory himself enjoyed many other New Orleans tipples other than this one, as he wasn’t keen on drinking heavily. Though largely overshadowed by boozier cocktails such as the Sazerac and Vieux Carré, the Old Hickory is as transportive to old New Orleans as either. Like an Old Fashioned, the Old Hickory can be endlessly riffed on with other fortified wines or prepared in the rustic, cobbled-together fashion that Andrew Jackson likely enjoyed.