Uploaded February 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Get your bottles at House of Bitter Bear 👉 houseofbitterbear.com
Today we’re making two classic cocktails that share the same name: the Blackthorn. There are quite a few drinks going by that title, but I’ve narrowed it down to two very different recipes that trace back to the early 1900s. One version is an Irish whiskey cocktail built with vermouth and absinthe. The other is a sloe gin cocktail featuring sweet and dry vermouth with bitters. Both claim to be the true Blackthorn, and both show up in early cocktail history. We’ll dig into where these recipes came from, compare the ingredients, and mix them side by side to see which one really earns the name. If you’re into cocktail history, forgotten drinks from the golden age of bartending, or just want two excellent vermouth-forward classics to add to your rotation, this one’s for you. Cheers!
Try my grenadine & falernum 👉 gatherandset.com/collections/cocktail-syrups/products/anders-bar-cart-essentials-grenadine-falernum
Don’t forget the merch! 👉 gatherandset.com/collections/anders-erickson-collection
Join us on Patreon 👉 patreon.com/anderserickson
My newsletter: anderserickson.com
Video/editing/illustrations by Azusa Inaba 🎥 🎨
———
CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro
00:40 The History
05:16 The Booze (Round 1)
06:35 The Irish Blackthorn Recipe
08:13 The Booze (Round 2)
08:53 The Blackthorn #2 Recipe
12:03 Sign Off
———
THE IRISH BLACKTHORN RECIPE 6:35
1.5 oz (45 ml) Redbreast 12 year Irish Whiskey
1.5 oz (45 ml) Dolin Blanc Vermouth de Chambéry
2 dashes St. George Absinthe Verte
3 dashes Fee Bros. Cardamom (Boker’s Style) Bitters
Expressed lemon oil and peel for garnish
THE BLACKTHORN #2 RECIPE 8:53
3/4 oz (22.5 ml) Plymouth Sloe Gin
3/4 oz (22.5 ml) Dolin Sweet Vermouth de Chambéry
3/4 oz (22.5 ml) Dolin Blanc Vermouth de Chambéry
2 dashes Regan’s Orange Bitters No. 6
1 dash Angostura Bitters
Expressed lemon oil
———
THE TOOLS
To The Bar Mat: https://rb.gy/ds3osd
My workhorse double jigger: amzn.to/3lmmKrK
My favorite mixing glass: amzn.to/45nvvvq
Bar spoon: gatherandset.com/collections/bar-tools/products/harrison-weighted-bar-spoon
Julep strainer: amzn.to/3mymEyA
Dasher bottles: amzn.to/3iKjbNE
Art Deco Cocktail Picks: gatherandset.com/products/art-deco-cocktail-picks-in-gold-set-of-4?_pos=2&_psq=art+deco+cocktail&_ss=e&_v=1.0
THE BOOKS
Bartender's Manual (1934 Reprint), Harry Johnson: amzn.to/4cSN8Yz
The World's Drinks and How to Mix Them, William (Cocktail) Boothby: amzn.to/4sjsx4j
Cocktails: How to Mix Them, Robert Vermiere: amzn.to/4cYFuvE
The Joy of Mixology, Gary Regan: amzn.to/4cR5pp1
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.
Special thanks to our top-tier patrons:
Adam Greetis
Brandon Carey
Randy Calegari
Matthew Crowley
Kevin
Dzomery
Derek Patstone
Rick Turoczy
Joshua Penley
Sheri Muilenburg
Connie & Rob Chapin
Chris Roberts
Howard Pollack
Bruce Stark
Brian Gordon
David Byrne
Randall Randall
Nick
D Pilaitis
Jonathan Shaffer
Melanie Sumner
Brian R
David Pruett
Brody
Matthew White
Brian Sciarratta
KC JONES
Scott Goode
Allen Saxton
Lara
Charles Snodgrass
Scott MacLean
Robert
Tim Ayers
Steve
Mr. Robert Wade
Follow Me:
Instagram: instagram.com/anderserickson
Twitter: twitter.com/anderserickson_
Facebook: facebook.com/andersericksoncocktails
Send stuff to:
Anders Erickson
PO Box 248
Baileys Harbor, WI 54202
Get your bottles at House of Bitter Bear 👉 houseofbitterbear.com
Today we’re making two classic cocktails that share the same name: the Blackthorn. There are quite a few drinks going by that title, but I’ve narrowed it down to two very different recipes that trace back to the early 1900s. One version is an Irish whiskey cocktail built with vermouth and absinthe. The other is a sloe gin cocktail featuring sweet and dry vermouth with bitters. Both claim to be the true Blackthorn, and both show up in early cocktail history. We’ll dig into where these recipes came from, compare the ingredients, and mix them side by side to see which one really earns the name. If you’re into cocktail history, forgotten drinks from the golden age of bartending, or just want two excellent vermouth-forward classics to add to your rotation, this one’s for you. Cheers!
Try my grenadine & falernum 👉 gatherandset.com/collections/cocktail-syrups/products/anders-bar-cart-essentials-grenadine-falernum
Don’t forget the merch! 👉 gatherandset.com/collections/anders-erickson-collection
Join us on Patreon 👉 patreon.com/anderserickson
My newsletter: anderserickson.com
Video/editing/illustrations by Azusa Inaba 🎥 🎨
———
CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro
00:40 The History
05:16 The Booze (Round 1)
06:35 The Irish Blackthorn Recipe
08:13 The Booze (Round 2)
08:53 The Blackthorn #2 Recipe
12:03 Sign Off
———
THE IRISH BLACKTHORN RECIPE 6:35
1.5 oz (45 ml) Redbreast 12 year Irish Whiskey
1.5 oz (45 ml) Dolin Blanc Vermouth de Chambéry
2 dashes St. George Absinthe Verte
3 dashes Fee Bros. Cardamom (Boker’s Style) Bitters
Expressed lemon oil and peel for garnish
THE BLACKTHORN #2 RECIPE 8:53
3/4 oz (22.5 ml) Plymouth Sloe Gin
3/4 oz (22.5 ml) Dolin Sweet Vermouth de Chambéry
3/4 oz (22.5 ml) Dolin Blanc Vermouth de Chambéry
2 dashes Regan’s Orange Bitters No. 6
1 dash Angostura Bitters
Expressed lemon oil
———
THE TOOLS
To The Bar Mat: https://rb.gy/ds3osd
My workhorse double jigger: amzn.to/3lmmKrK
My favorite mixing glass: amzn.to/45nvvvq
Bar spoon: gatherandset.com/collections/bar-tools/products/harrison-weighted-bar-spoon
Julep strainer: amzn.to/3mymEyA
Dasher bottles: amzn.to/3iKjbNE
Art Deco Cocktail Picks: gatherandset.com/products/art-deco-cocktail-picks-in-gold-set-of-4?_pos=2&_psq=art+deco+cocktail&_ss=e&_v=1.0
THE BOOKS
Bartender's Manual (1934 Reprint), Harry Johnson: amzn.to/4cSN8Yz
The World's Drinks and How to Mix Them, William (Cocktail) Boothby: amzn.to/4sjsx4j
Cocktails: How to Mix Them, Robert Vermiere: amzn.to/4cYFuvE
The Joy of Mixology, Gary Regan: amzn.to/4cR5pp1
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.
Special thanks to our top-tier patrons:
Adam Greetis
Brandon Carey
Randy Calegari
Matthew Crowley
Kevin
Dzomery
Derek Patstone
Rick Turoczy
Joshua Penley
Sheri Muilenburg
Connie & Rob Chapin
Chris Roberts
Howard Pollack
Bruce Stark
Brian Gordon
David Byrne
Randall Randall
Nick
D Pilaitis
Jonathan Shaffer
Melanie Sumner
Brian R
David Pruett
Brody
Matthew White
Brian Sciarratta
KC JONES
Scott Goode
Allen Saxton
Lara
Charles Snodgrass
Scott MacLean
Robert
Tim Ayers
Steve
Mr. Robert Wade
Follow Me:
Instagram: instagram.com/anderserickson
Twitter: twitter.com/anderserickson_
Facebook: facebook.com/andersericksoncocktails
Send stuff to:
Anders Erickson
PO Box 248
Baileys Harbor, WI 54202
