The Lost Aperitif of The Addington: A Cocktail with a Story to Tell

For those you don't know my past, I suppose I’m an OG Mixo ( Mixologist ). I spent my twenties completely immersed in London bar culture, and particularly cocktail culture. It was an incredible time in my life; I was lucky enough to have numerous beers with Douglas Ankrah who created the Porn Star Martini, and I spent some time with Dick Bradsell who was behind the Espresso Martini, the Bramble and The Russian Spring Punch.

Cocktail culture will always be a part of who I am, but it’s quite rare that I get to indulge that too much these days… however… with a nod to my former life behind the jump…

In the world of classic cocktails, few drinks hold as much mystery to me as The Addington. Nestled among the pages of Harry Craddock’s legendary Savoy Cocktail Book (1930), this elegant aperitif has remained an enigma, its origins largely forgotten. But what if The Addington wasn’t just another vermouth-based libation? What if its name holds the key to a lost connection with one of England’s most prestigious golf clubs, and in my view the most exciting current restoration in world golf—The Addington Golf Club?

Though time and maybe tragedy have obscured its past, the pieces of this puzzle suggest that The Addington cocktail may well have been the signature drink of The Addington Golf Club in its golden years. A refined, sophisticated aperitif that would have been equally at home in the hands of Savoy guests and elite club members alike.

A Cocktail of Distinction

Unlike many classic cocktails with clear American or European roots, The Addington is curiously understated. The recipe is simple yet refined: equal parts dry and sweet vermouth, topped with soda and garnished with orange peel. This makes it a true aperitif—light, aromatic, and designed to stimulate the palate before a meal.

The drink first appeared in Craddock’s Savoy Cocktail Book, the definitive guide to early 20th-century cocktails. This alone places it among an elite selection of drinks that graced the menus of high-society venues in London and beyond. But what makes The Addington especially intriguing to me, is its name.

Unlike the Manhattan or Martini, whose origins are fiercely debated but clearly linked to specific locations, The Addington offers no obvious clues, unless one considers The Addington Golf Club.

The Addington Golf Club: A Prestigious Past

Founded in 1913, The Addington Golf Club was the vision of John F. Abercromby, a pioneering golf course architect. By the 1920s, the club had become one of the most prestigious in England, drawing the aristocracy, business magnates, and even royalty; King George VI himself was among its visitors and Club Patron.

At a time when fine dining and drinking were essential elements of the club experience, it would have been entirely natural for a signature house aperitif to emerge. A light, elegant drink like The Addington would have been the perfect way to refresh members after a round of golf, setting the stage for a lunch of sophisticated dining.

A Link to The Savoy and Harry Craddock

The 1920s and 1930s marked a golden age of cocktail culture, particularly in London, where Harry Craddock presided over the American Bar at The Savoy. Craddock was known for curating and refining cocktails that suited the tastes of his elite clientele; many of whom would have been the same high-society figures frequenting The Addington Golf Club.

It’s easy to imagine a scenario in which The Addington cocktail was already well-known among club members, eventually making its way into Craddock’s Savoy Cocktail Book. At a time when clubs and hotels prided themselves on offering exclusive, sophisticated drinks, The Addington fits the profile perfectly.

Moreover, vermouth-based aperitifs were highly fashionable in this era, as seen with the popularity of drinks like the Boulevardier and the Negroni. The balance of sweet and dry vermouth in The Addington mirrors this trend, reinforcing the idea that it was a drink designed for those with refined palates—ideal for both a grand hotel bar and a distinguished golf club lounge.

The Mystery and the Missing Records

The strongest argument against definitively linking The Addington cocktail to The Addington Golf Club is the unfortunate loss of historical records. In 1952, a devastating fire consumed the club’s original clubhouse, destroying archives, trophies, and documents that might have confirmed this theory.

However, such historical gaps are not uncommon in the world of cocktails. Many classic drinks, including the Martinez and Clover Club, have origin stories based on plausible connections rather than hard proof. Given the circumstantial evidence, it’s entirely reasonable to suggest that The Addington was once the house aperitif of the club, later adopted by Craddock at The Savoy.

Crafting the Perfect Addington

For those looking to recreate this lost classic, ingredient selection is key. Since the cocktail is entirely vermouth-based, quality matters.

• Sweet Vermouth: Opt for an Italian Vermouth di Torino for richness and complexity. Cocchi Vermouth di Torino or Carpano Antica Formula work beautifully, offering balanced sweetness with subtle spice and citrus.

• Dry Vermouth: A crisp, herbal French dry vermouth is ideal. Noilly Prat Original Dry brings depth with a slight saline quality, while Dolin Dry offers lighter floral notes.

• Soda Water: Use a high-quality soda with fine, persistent bubbles to enhance texture without overpowering the delicate vermouths.

• Garnish: An orange twist is essential. Express the oils over the drink before placing it in the glass to bring out the botanicals in the vermouth.

Recipe

• 1½ oz (45ml) Sweet Vermouth (e.g. Cocchi Vermouth di Torino)

• 1½ oz (45ml) Dry Vermouth (e.g. Dolin)

• 4 oz (120ml) Chilled Fentimans Soda Water

• Orange Peel, for garnish

Method:

1. Fill a highball glass with ice.

2. Pour in the vermouths, then top with soda water.

3. Stir gently and garnish with an expressed orange peel.

For a more elegant presentation, some bartenders serve The Addington in a coupe glass, stirred with ice and strained to preserve its delicate balance. A dash of orange bitters can also enhance the flavour profile without straying from its classic roots.

The Addington: A Lost Classic Worth Rediscovering

While its precise origins may remain a mystery, The Addington cocktail represents a forgotten chapter in the golden age of aperitifs. Whether it was first poured in the clubhouse of The Addington Golf Club or in the illustrious American Bar at The Savoy, it deserves a place among the great vermouth cocktails of history.

For today’s drinkers, The Addington offers a refined, low-alcohol alternative to heavier cocktails—a refreshing nod to a bygone era of elegance. Perhaps, with a little recognition, it can once again find its place on menus, gracing the hands of a new generation of cocktail enthusiasts and club members alike.

So, the next time you raise a glass of The Addington, consider the possibility that you’re sipping on a piece of lost history — one that links the worlds of fine golf and fine cocktails in the most sophisticated way imaginable.

I concede, the link is perhaps a little tenuous, but one of the coolest things about cocktails, are the stories, speculation, interpretation and conjecture behind them. Nailing my colours to the mast, I'm a member of The Addington — so fuck it — this is our stake in the ground to claim this most wonderfully elegance of the aperitifs for ours.

Cheers all, thanks for reading.

It’s with sincere thanks to Declan McGuirk, former Director of Bars at The Savoy Hotel and Luca Rapetti Cocktail Historian for the United Kingdom Bartenders Guild that this article was possible. I count Dec as an old friend and colleague, who was incredibly generous with this time to help me research The Addington. He reached out to Luca and with the help of the UKBG, we were able to verify that The Addington appears in the 1935 UKBG list of approved cocktails, alongside Craddock's 1930s seminal cocktail book.

Quick one — if you’ve not done this yet, my scorecard helps you spot gaps across guest experience, costs, and day-to-day ops. Takes a few minutes and you’ll get a proper report at the end.