Recipes

For all three drinks: stir all ingredients with ice in a mixing glass. Strain into a chilled coupe. Add the garnish. Unless specified, the numbers are in ounces.

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The first Sunday after Pentecost is known as Trinity Sunday. It was created to foster devotion and counter anti-Trinitarian heresies, so some strong, punchy drinks are in order. As I thought of this, I had in mind Michael Foley’s words in the book that inspired my entire holy day cocktail endeavor:

“The ideal cocktail honoring the Trinity would reflect the procession of the Son from the Father and the procession of the Holy Spirit from the Father and the Son, with three equal ingredients made from the same ingredient, the second ingredient being derived from the first and the third derived from the first and second. And, of course, the mere taste of it would induce the Beatific Vision. But since no such concoction exists, we give you what the bartenders’ guides call a Trinity Cocktail.”

After trying to think of such an “ideal cocktail”–and failing–I went the direction he did: looking at others’ “Trinity” cocktails. But alas, there are many.

So to demonstrate some humility and represent the numerous possible articulations and metaphors used for the actual Trinity, today I offer you the earliest Trinity cocktails–and a modern one–for your enjoyment.

The 1930 Trinity Cocktail is from Harry Braddock’s classic Savoy Cocktail Book. It tastes like a martini, but sweeter. Simple, classic, and great.

The 1948 version was first published by David Embury in The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks. It is complex and a little too weird for my enjoyment (and that’s saying something!).

The modern version by Lewis Roberts in Manchester, UK. This is my favorite. Elderflower and Chartreuse play very nicely with one another (if you can find Chartreuse).

Recipe Cards (click to enlarge)