If summer is showing its best, the demand for refreshing and sparkling cocktails naturally increases and people long for mixed drinks that are the ideal companions for relaxation times in gardens or on balconies. So it is once again time to introduce another classic.

The Horse’s Neck is truly a classic cocktail (the IBA also features the drink in their official cocktail list). It can be dated back to the 1880s, where it has probably been already appreciated for its refreshing qualities. The Horse’s Neck is not that far away from a London Buck, but unlike this highball cocktail it essentially comes along without the addition of fresh citrus juice. Furthermore it consists of bourbon, ginger ale and a lemon zest. Often also a few dashes of Angostura bitters appear in the recipes and there are also numerous variations that are known under the same name but use different base spirits.

There are Horse’s Neck recipes out there with scotch, gin, brandy or cognac, so enthusiasts can experiment with these spirits a bit. In summer, a Horse’s Neck on the basis of a good gin can be an enjoyment not to be underestimated.

A Horse’s Neck with gin as the base spirit

The name derives from the lemon zest which is arranged in a way it juts out a little bit over the rim of the glass and thereby reminds the drinker of a horse’s head. The more Horse’s Necks you drank, the more easily you will recognize the silhouette of the horse.

Recipe:

5-6 cl Bourbon (alternatively Scotch, gin, brandy or cognac)
2 Dashes Angostura Bitters
Ginger Ale (as a filler)

Preparation: cut the lemon peel into a spiral and place it inside your glass so that a small part of it hangs down over the edge of the glass. Then add ice cubes and fill with the remaining ingredients (ginger ale last).

Glass: Highball

Garnish: Lemon twist

Buying Sources: The ingredients can be found in most supermarkets.