What ingredients are in a Dubonnet Cocktail?

1 1/2 oz Dubonnet Rouge, 3/4 oz Gin, 1 dash Bitters, 1 twist of Lemon peel

What glass do you use for a Dubonnet Cocktail?

A Dubonnet Cocktail is traditionally served in a Cocktail glass.

How strong is a Dubonnet Cocktail?

A Dubonnet Cocktail has an estimated ABV of 18,01%.

How many calories are in a Dubonnet Cocktail?

A Dubonnet Cocktail contains approximately 129 calories per serving.

What is a Dubonnet Cocktail?

The Dubonnet Cocktail is a classic aperitif made with Dubonnet Rouge, gin, and Angostura bitters, garnished with a lemon peel. It is stirred and served on the rocks or straight up in a cocktail glass. The drink has a bittersweet, wine-forward flavor with herbal and quinine notes.

Why is the Dubonnet Cocktail associated with the British Royal Family?

The Dubonnet Cocktail was famously favored by Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, who reportedly enjoyed one before lunch daily for decades. Her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II, also embraced the drink. The Royal Family connection helped cement Dubonnet's status as a refined aperitif in British drinking culture.

What ABV does a Dubonnet Cocktail typically reach?

A Dubonnet Cocktail is relatively modest in strength, typically reaching around 15–20% ABV depending on the ratio of Dubonnet to gin. Dubonnet Rouge is a fortified wine at roughly 15% ABV, while the gin addition lifts the overall strength. The result is a pleasantly light aperitif suitable for pre-dinner drinking.

Built on Dubonnet Rouge, the French quinquina wine, the Dubonnet Cocktail pairs that aromatized base with gin, a dash of bitters, and a twist of lemon peel. The ingredients are stirred over ice and strained into a cocktail glass. Wine-forward and only moderately alcoholic, the drink carries a bittersweet, herbal character suited to the aperitif role it has long occupied, and it is frequently cited as a favorite of the British Royal Family. The gin lends backbone and botanical lift to the quinine-tinged sweetness of the Dubonnet.

Dubonnet Cocktail

Verre Cocktail glass

Difficulté Medium

Calories ~129 kcal

ABV 18,01%

Ingrédients

Dubonnet Rouge 1 1/2 oz
Gin 3/4 oz
Bitters 1 dash
Lemon peel 1 twist of

Instructions

Stir all ingredients (except lemon peel) with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Add the twist of lemon peel and serve.

Herbal LowABV

The Dubonnet Cocktail is a classic aperitif-style drink combining Dubonnet Rouge, a French quinquina wine, with gin, a dash of bitters, and a lemon peel twist. It is a low-to-moderate ABV, wine-forward cocktail with a pleasantly bittersweet, herbal character. The drink is reportedly a favorite of the British Royal Family.

History & Origins

Dubonnet was created in 1846 by chemist Joseph Dubonnet in Paris as a means of making quinine more palatable for French Foreign Legion soldiers stationed in North Africa. The Dubonnet Cocktail as a gin-based mixed drink became popular in the early 20th century, particularly in Britain, where Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother was famously fond of it. Its precise formulation is disputed across bartending literature.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: dark berry and wine aromas from the Dubonnet Rouge with juniper from the gin and a spiced, herbal note from the bitters. Palate: bittersweet and wine-forward with a dried cherry and quinine character, underscored by the gin's botanicals. Finish: pleasantly bitter, herbal, and dry with a lingering citrus note from the lemon peel.

quinquina herbal bittersweet cherry citrus

Pro Tip

Use equal parts Dubonnet and gin for the traditional ratio, and twist a fresh lemon peel directly over the glass before dropping it in to release the aromatic oils onto the surface.

Data verified août 2015

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