This is another one that probably – possibly? maybe? – dates back to the mid-19th century, the infancy of cocktail culture. Cocktail origin stories are always a bit murky, but we do know the Rattlesnake had come into its own by 1930 because it appears in Harry Craddock’s deathless classic, The Savoy Cocktail Book, of which I have a facsimile copy.
Harry – tongue in cheek – claimed in might cure rattlesnake bites. Or kill rattlesnakes. No matter. What it will do is delight your palate, and file down your rough edges after a long day.
Essentially a variation on a standard whiskey sour, it combines a typical base spirit – rye in this case – with something sweet and something sour, while adding punch with a hit of anise. Complex, heady, and very rewarding.
Shake up a few of these and snakes won’t bother you.
Rattlesnake
2 ounces rye whiskey
3/4 ounce lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1/2 ounce demerara syrup
1/4 ounce absinthe (I used Pernod, it's the anise flavor you want)
1 large egg white (or Fee Brothers foamer, or nothing)
A few drops of Angostura bitters, for garnish
Shake all the ingredients with ice and serve straight up with the bitters dropped on top.
Re ingredients:
Demerara syrup is just like simple syrup – made exactly the same way – but with raw sugar rather than plain white sugar. It adds color and a bit of depth to this drink, but regular simple syrup will do almost as well.
As I’ve said before, I’m not a fan of egg white in cocktails. I don’t like the hassle of separating an egg, and I don’t like the resulting texture it gives to the drink. I do like the foam on top, and that can be achieved with Fee Brothers or another brand of foamer. Or you can just skip this step and get to sipping that much sooner.