Booze has always been a source of inspiration for writers. Think Mark Twain, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Dorothy Parker. And a good book paired with a good pour of bourbon is a coupling discerning whiskey enthusiasts everywhere can enjoy. Below are 5 of our favorite classic novels paired with 5 of our favorite literary cocktails. These are a match made in book club heaven. Enjoy!
“My own experience has been that the tools I need for my trade are paper, tobacco, food, and a little whisky.” — William Faulkner
Literary Cocktail #1: Magnus’ Daiquiri
Book: The Old Man and the Sea
Author: Ernest Hemingway
A whiskey daiquiri inspired by Hemingway’s love of daiquiris. While writing in Havana, Hemingway’s watering hole of choice was the famous ‘El Floridita’ where the ‘Cocktail King of Cuba’ and inventor of the Hemingway Daiquiri, Constantino Ribalaigua Vert, tended bar.
Magnus’ Daiquiri
- 2 oz Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon Whiskey
- 1 oz lime juice
- .75 oz simple syrup
- Lime wheel, garnish
In a shaker tin with ice add all ingredients and combine. Strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with a lime wheel.
Literary Cocktail #2: Gin & Bennett
Book: Pride & Prejudice
Author: Jane Austen
Humorous and romantic, Austen’s novel has been turned into at least 17 different film adaptations and more than 10 television series in the 200 years since its publication of the 1813 novel. Grab a copy of the classic novel and this dreamy, sparkling gin cocktail and get lost in the world of Elizabeth Bennett.
Gin & Bennett
- 1.5 oz Magnus Vigilant District Dry Gin
- 1.5 oz crème de violette
- 1.5 oz lemon juice
- Ice
- Sparkling wine, to top
- Edible blossoms, garnish
In a shaker filled with ice, combine the gin, crème de violette, and lemon juice. Shake well. Strain into a couple, and top with sparkling wine. Garnish with edible blossoms, and for heaven’s sake, take the carriage.
See the full recipe and instructions here.
Literary Cocktail #3: Mad Hatter
Book: Alice in Wonderland
Author: Lewis Carroll
‘Mad as a Hatter’ is a term that predated Lewis Carroll’s 1865 publication of ‘Alice in Wonderland,’ possibly referring to the symptoms of mercury exposure in the hat-making industry in the early 19th century. This cocktail is a more whimsical reference to the classic English novel. It was invented in 1951 by Ted Saucier, the same year as the colorful Disney movie adaptation of the book. Don your mercury-free hats and serve this whiskey and absinthe rinse cocktail in a tea cup for full effect.
Mad Hatter
- 2 oz Magnus Vigilant District Dry Gin
- .75 oz simple syrup
- .375 oz lime juice
- .375 oz lemon juice
- Rinse absinthe
- Dehydrated lemon wheel, garnish
Add ingredients to a shaker tin. Add shaking ice. Shake 8-10 Seconds. Absinthe rinse the coffee or tea cup with an atomizer. Add a large cube of ice. Strain into a coffee cup. Garnish with dehydrated lime wheel.
See the full recipe and instructions here.
Literary Cocktail #4: Gin Rickey
Book: The Great Gatsby
Author: F. Scott Fitzgerald
“Tom came back, preceding four gin rickeys that clicked full of ice. Gatsby took up his drink. ‘They certainly look cool,’ he said, with visible tension. We drank in long, greedy swallows.”
Few literary cocktails and novel pairings are so well-known as the Gin Rickey in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. The protagonists of the 1925 novel imbibed in this refreshing lime and gin cocktail, and it’s been a party hit ever since.
Gin Rickey
- 2 oz Magnus Vigilant District Dry Gin
- .5 oz lime juice, freshly squeezed
- Club soda, to top
- Lime wheels, garnish
Fill a highball glass with ice and add the gin and lime juice. Top with club soda. Garnish with 2 lime wheels.
See the full recipe and instructions here.
Literary Cocktail #5: Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster
Book: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
Author: Douglas Adams
When a novel describes the experience of a drink as “having your brains smashed in by a slice of lemon wrapped ’round a large gold brick” you know it’s something to try. Although these literary cocktails are technically impossible to make on Earth (due to lack of teeth of an Algolian Suntiger and Santraginean seawater) we like this recipe as a substitute.
Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster
- 1.5 oz Thatcher’s Organic Small Batch Vodka
- 1.5 oz Joseph Magnus Navy Strength Gin
- 3 drops of 25% saline solution
- 2 iSi N20 chargers (and cream whipper)
- .25 oz crème de menthe
- 1 sugar cube
- 1 dash of Scrappy’s Firewater Tincture
- .5 tsp citric acid
- 1 green olive
- Zest of 2 lemons
Add Thatcher’s Organic Small Batch Vodka, saline solution, and Joseph Magnus Navy Strength Gin to your cream whipper. Add lemon zest to cream whipper. Discharge one N20 charger to the whipper and shake. Discharge the second N20 charger to the whipper and shake. Let rest for 2 minutes, then discharge gas from the whipper. Strain out liquid using a mesh strainer into a mixing glass. Add crème de menthe. Dash the sugar cube with your Firewater Tincture and drop into a mixing glass. Stir with ice for 60 seconds. Sprinkle citric acid on top and and stir using cocktail pick with olive.
See the full recipe and instructions here.
What novel and literary cocktails are you curling up with? Share your choices with us on social using #josamagnus. Find our award-winning spirits at a retailer near you.
Join our mailing list to stay up to date with the latest from Jos. A. Magnus. You can also follow us on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date.
