Recipe of the Month: Straight Razor

A vermouth cocktail that can be made no- or low-alcohol to ease yourself out of Dry January.

Satan’s Whiskers cocktail.

Very rarely do bartenders have a heavy hand when it comes to vermouth, which is a shame. It’s an incredibly versatile base ingredient, not just a modifier. It adds bitter, herbaceous, deliciousness to any drink. Plus, as a fortified wine––a blend of wine and spirits––it’s generally about half the alcohol by volume (ABV) of straight spirits. That’s why it plays a prominent role in the low-alcohol drinks I make.

Of course, there are also non-alcoholic vermouths, such as Roots Divino, though they’re more often identified as aperitifs or aperitivos due to legal restrictions. These options ensure that vermouth-based cocktails can also be made non-alcoholic. (Roots Divino was recently listed as one of The Best Nonalcoholic Spirits, According to Bartenders and Our Editors.)

This month, I decided to feature a vermouth-based cocktail from my book, Mindful Mixology: A Comprehensive Guide to No- and Low-Alcohol Cocktails. It’s inspired by the classic Satan’s Whiskers—a mix of gin, sweet vermouth, dry vermouth, orange juice, and orange bitters. In this variation, the gin is omitted. Let’s say it offers Satan a close shave—hence the name, the Straight Razor.

Shaken, not stirred. Photo by Nole Garey.