Leap Year Cocktail

My Leap Year Cocktail is a tasty balance of a little tart, a little sweet, and a whole lotta tasty with gin, Grand Marnier, sweet vermouth and fresh lemon juice. Invented in London in the leap year of 1928, this is the perfect drink to celebrate one extra day this year.

This year, we gain an extra day; February 29th is a leap day. This is our way of keeping the astronomical calendar synchronized because of the solar system’s disparity with the Gregorian calendar or something of that nature. Can you tell I don’t know a lot about astronomy? But not to bore you; I just prefer to look at it like it’s just a good drink for leap year celebrations.

If you’re not a gin fan, no problem; just swap it out for vodka. I do this all the time with this and my April Showers Cocktail (below) which is a refreshing drink for spring days made with lemon juice, agave nectar, and grapefruit.

Many original cocktails have been invented at the American Bar at the famous Savoy hotel by their bartender Harry Craddock and are featured in their Savoy Cocktail Book along with many other popular drinks. This is one of those non-fussy cocktail recipes that is easy to make because there are only 4 ingredients, so you don’t need to have any crazy mixology talent.

This perfect sipping cocktail consists of dry gin (naturally British), Grand Marnier (an orange liqueur), sweet Vermouth, and fresh lemon juice. Added to a cocktail shaker (shaken, not stirred) and served in a chilled cocktail glass. I like it martini-style with a lemon twist from a piece of lemon peel. Simple, elegant, and sophisticated. So raise a glass to the extra day because it won’t be coming around for another 4 years.