To celebrate America’s 250th anniversary, we’re featuring a special selection of cocktails at One Lincoln. Each drink draws inspiration from historic 18th- and 19th-century recipes, honoring the origins of classic cocktails and the rich traditions that evolved alongside the nation.
Join us at One Lincoln to enjoy one expertly crafted by our team, or explore the recipes below to create your own at home.
Whiskey and black tea punch originated in the 18th and 19th centuries, evolving from British naval grog and East India Company traders who combined tea, spirits, sugar, and citrus to create, preserve, and transport drinks. Originally meant to prevent scurvy and make strong alcohol palatable, it moved from ships to elite London parlors, later becoming a staple in American Southern hospitality.
Ingredients:
Prep:
Brew tea in 4 cups water, add sugar, steep for 5-7 minutes. Add cold water, whiskey, lemon juice and peels, then brandy to taste. Garnish with dried lemon and grated nutmeg.
The Old Fashioned originated in the early 19th century as the original definition of a “cocktail”— spirits, sugar, water, and bitters—before evolving into a specific drink. While rooted in 1806, the modern Old Fashioned was popularized in the 1880s at the Pendennis Club in Louisville, KY, likely by bartender James E. Pepper, as a return to traditional, simple ingredients.
Ingredients:
Prep:
Place sugar cube in rocks glass, dash with angostura and orange bitters, add splash of water and muddle. Add bourbon and stir. Add large ice cube and orange twist.
The Martinez cocktail originated in the 1860s-1880s as a popular predecessor to the Martini; widely believed to have been created by famed bartender Jerry Thomas at San Fransisco’s Occidental Hotel for a traveler headed to Martinez, California. It bridged the gap between sweet and dry drinks, featuring Old Tom Gin, sweet vermouth, maraschino liqueur, and bitters.
Ingredients:
Prep:
Stir the Gin, sweet vermouth, lux liqueur, and orange bitters over ice for 30 seconds. Strain into a chilled coup glass. Garnish with cherry and dried orange.
The champagne cocktail is one of the oldest known cocktails, emerging in mid-19th century North America. The earliest mention of the champagne cocktail was in Robert Tomes’ Panama in 1855. Originally, it was served in a tumbler over broken ice, a departure from the modern champagne flute. The drink became popular in the 1930s-40s and famously appeared in the film Casablanca.
Ingredients:
Prep:
Place sugar cube in champagne flute, soak with bitters. Rub lemon twist along rim of glass to express oil, then fill with extra dry or brut. Garnish with lemon peel.
