Uploaded January 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Get your bottles at House of Bitter Bear 👉 houseofbitterbear.com
The Aunt Roberta Cocktail is often called “the deadliest cocktail in the world,” and for good reason. It’s essentially eight ounces of straight booze with absinthe and vodka leading the charge. Balance was clearly not the original goal. Today, I’m making the Aunt Roberta for the first time to see if it can be reworked into something drinkable. We’ll look at the original recipe, then try rebalancing it using both a Pre-Prohibition and mid-century approach. No promises, but I think we can improve things. 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
00:34 The Lore
03:27 “Deadliest Cocktail in the World”
07:09 Pre-Prohibition Take
09:25 Mid-Century (Take 1)
10:47 Mid-Century (Take 2)
12:50 Sign Off
———
THE AUNT ROBERTA RECIPE 3:46
3 oz (90 ml) Hangar One Vodka
2 oz (60 ml) St. George Absinthe Verte
1 oz (30 ml) Beefeater Londen Dry Gin
1 oz (30 ml) Maison Rouge VSOP Cognac
1 oz (30 ml) Combier Crème de Mûre
THE REBALANCED AUNT ROBERTA (Pre-Prohibition) RECIPE 7:35
1.5 oz (45 ml) Scofflaw Old Tom Gin
3/4 oz (22.5 ml) Maison Rouge VSOP Cognac
1/4 oz (7.5 ml) Hangar One Vodka
1/4 oz (7.5 ml) Combier Crème de Mûre
Rinse of St. George Absinthe Verte
1 swath lemon peel
THE REBALANCED AUNT ROBERTA (Mid-Century) RECIPE 10:54
1 oz (30 ml) Beefeater London Dry Gin
1 oz (30 ml) Maison Rouge VSOP Cognac
3/4 oz (22.5 ml) Hangar One Vodka
1/4 oz (7.5 ml) Combier Crème de Mûre
3 dashes St. George Absinthe Verte
1 swath lemon peel
Expressed lemon oil and peel for garnish
———
THE TOOLS
To The Bar Mat: https://rb.gy/ds3osd
Julep strainer: amzn.to/3mymEyA
Bar spoon: gatherandset.com/collections/bar-tools/products/harrison-weighted-bar-spoon
My favorite mixing glass: amzn.to/45nvvvq
My workhorse double jigger: amzn.to/3lmmKrK
Dasher bottles: amzn.to/3iKjbNE
Angled Spritz Glass: gatherandset.com/products/raye-angled-crystal-amaro-spritz-glasses-set-of-2?_pos=1&_psq=angled+spritz+g&_ss=e&_v=1.0
Angled Nick & Nora Glass: gatherandset.com/products/raye-angled-crystal-nick-nora-glasses-set-of-2?_pos=1&_sid=849ebe62e&_ss=r
Anders Erickson Coupe: https://rb.gy/q9tqp5
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
Josua Katz
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
The Aunt Roberta Cocktail is often called “the deadliest cocktail in the world,” and for good reason. It’s essentially eight ounces of straight booze with absinthe and vodka leading the charge. Balance was clearly not the original goal. Today, I’m making the Aunt Roberta for the first time to see if it can be reworked into something drinkable. We’ll look at the original recipe, then try rebalancing it using both a Pre-Prohibition and mid-century approach. No promises, but I think we can improve things. 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
00:34 The Lore
03:27 “Deadliest Cocktail in the World”
07:09 Pre-Prohibition Take
09:25 Mid-Century (Take 1)
10:47 Mid-Century (Take 2)
12:50 Sign Off
———
THE AUNT ROBERTA RECIPE 3:46
3 oz (90 ml) Hangar One Vodka
2 oz (60 ml) St. George Absinthe Verte
1 oz (30 ml) Beefeater Londen Dry Gin
1 oz (30 ml) Maison Rouge VSOP Cognac
1 oz (30 ml) Combier Crème de Mûre
THE REBALANCED AUNT ROBERTA (Pre-Prohibition) RECIPE 7:35
1.5 oz (45 ml) Scofflaw Old Tom Gin
3/4 oz (22.5 ml) Maison Rouge VSOP Cognac
1/4 oz (7.5 ml) Hangar One Vodka
1/4 oz (7.5 ml) Combier Crème de Mûre
Rinse of St. George Absinthe Verte
1 swath lemon peel
THE REBALANCED AUNT ROBERTA (Mid-Century) RECIPE 10:54
1 oz (30 ml) Beefeater London Dry Gin
1 oz (30 ml) Maison Rouge VSOP Cognac
3/4 oz (22.5 ml) Hangar One Vodka
1/4 oz (7.5 ml) Combier Crème de Mûre
3 dashes St. George Absinthe Verte
1 swath lemon peel
Expressed lemon oil and peel for garnish
———
THE TOOLS
To The Bar Mat: https://rb.gy/ds3osd
Julep strainer: amzn.to/3mymEyA
Bar spoon: gatherandset.com/collections/bar-tools/products/harrison-weighted-bar-spoon
My favorite mixing glass: amzn.to/45nvvvq
My workhorse double jigger: amzn.to/3lmmKrK
Dasher bottles: amzn.to/3iKjbNE
Angled Spritz Glass: gatherandset.com/products/raye-angled-crystal-amaro-spritz-glasses-set-of-2?_pos=1&_psq=angled+spritz+g&_ss=e&_v=1.0
Angled Nick & Nora Glass: gatherandset.com/products/raye-angled-crystal-nick-nora-glasses-set-of-2?_pos=1&_sid=849ebe62e&_ss=r
Anders Erickson Coupe: https://rb.gy/q9tqp5
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
Josua Katz
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
