Torino Fizz

The first time I tasted Gran Classico, it was during last summer’s Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans. Ever since then I’ve wanted to include it in an original cocktail—and the Torino Fizz is the spirit’s first appearance on the Whistler’s menu.

It is a cocktail comprised of Plymouth Sloe Gin (the only worth-while sloe gin on the market), Carpano Antica Vermouth, Gran Classico Bitter, egg white, lemon, simple syrup, Peychaud’s bitters, and a splash of club soda.

I was inspired by the Savoy Cocktail Book’s sloe gin and vermouth concoction, the Ping Pong Special Cocktail, which (according to Eric Ellestad's research) is essentially a Manhattan with sloe gin instead of rye whiskey.

The drink has three different layers: a sweet start from the combination of sloe gin and vermouth, a middle layer of tartness where the sloe gin and lemon juice mingle, and a dry, bitter finish courtesy of the Gran Classico. The egg white gives the cocktail a wonderful richness, while the Peychaud’s bitters offer their slight cranberry-anis notes at the nose, as well as at the bottom of the glass.

I’ve found this cocktail to be a real crowd-pleaser, and have been recommending it to anyone in search of a refreshing fall libation. Because it’s semi-sweet, semi-tart, and full-bodied with a surprising bitterness at the finish, the Torino Fizz leaves you wanting to take another sip. They disappear quickly at the Whistler…

Photos by Robert Brenner.