20th Century

• 1 1/2 oz. gin
• 3/4 oz. Lillet Blanc
• 3/4 oz. creme de cacao
• 3/4 oz. lemon juice

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Add a lemon rind as garnish.

My take on this pretentious cocktail is that it is accurate to the tastes of the early 20th Century. I mean, anyone you asked about what liquors were tops in the Age of Modernism (circa 1921) would say Lillet Blanc and gin. Still, the drink is a little tart and the lemon covers the Lillet too much. The gin sticks out too much. Even Bombay Sapphire is too aggressive here. I recommend upping the creme de cacao (against my better judgement) and the Lillet. Make it equal parts everything except lemon. 1 oz. gin, Lillet, and creme de cacao and leave the lemon at 3/4 or even 1/2 and you have something interesting.