Between the Sheets Cocktail

By Steve Kilcullen Jump to Recipe

Suggestive and a little tart, the Between the Sheets cocktail might just make your next night out an unforgettable one.

One of the aspects that I love about cocktails and the culture they reside in, is the history. Depending on what you’re drinking, you’re guaranteed to be sipping on something that has been around in one form or another for decades. In my humble opinion, there are two legitimate ways to travel back through time: Stanley Kubrick’s Barry Lyndon, and cocktails.

Plenty of cities around the world lay claim to many a famous and legendary drink being born there. New Orleans, Chicago, London, Paris… The drink we’re looking at tonight is said to have been born in two of those romantic metropolises, the cheekily named Between the Sheets. A tart and citrusy mixture that’s made with white rum and cognac, this drink is said to have been created in the London of the 1920s, or at the world-renowned Harry’s New York Bar in Paris during the 1930s.

Harry MacElhone and his New York Bar are monoliths in the cocktail community. Both MacElhone and the establishment that still bears his name, are responsible for an impressive number of iconic and classic cocktails that remain popular the world over. If you’ve ever enjoyed a White Lady or an Old Pal, just to name a few, then you’ve experienced a little taste of the history of Harry’s New York Bar. It’s there that some claim the Between the Sheets cocktail was first served.

But others say that the mixture was created at the Berkeley Hotel in London. This theory suggests that a Mr. Polly, the Berkeley’s manager, invented the concoction in 1921. There’s also a fairly eyebrow-raising rumor that the drink first originated in French brothels, and became a favorite with the ladies of the night. This is where its suggestive name could’ve come from.

While nobody knows exactly who first gifted the world with this sweet and tart tipple, there must be some truth in the stories that surround it. If you have a romantic evening coming up with that someone special, you can’t go wrong with this suggestive elixir.

What Is The Best Alcohol To Use In A Between The Sheets Cocktail?

There are a fair number of popular cognac brands you can easily find wherever you shop for your spirits. Courvoisier, Hennessy and Rémy Martin are all fantastic choices, and not too expensive either, if that’s a concern. For the white rum, I usually stick with the stalwart that is Bacardi Silver. For the triple sec, you can splash out a little and use the exquisite, orange-tinged notes found in both Grand Marnier and Cointreau.

WHAT GLASSWARE AND GARNISH IS USED?

Chill a coupe in the freezer for up to thirty minutes. Serve your Between the Sheets straight up and with a lemon twist.

WHAT IS A MAIDEN’S PRAYER?

The Maiden’s Prayer is sometimes used as an alternate name for the Between the Sheets cocktail. Usually though, the Maiden’s Prayer follows a completely different recipe, using gin instead of rum and cognac, and replacing the lemon juice with orange.

Similar Cocktails To The Between the Sheets

Cognac is a spirit that is featured in a number of great drinks. Sometimes when we think about cocktails, our minds might automatically go to gin, vodka, whiskey, etc… But cognac has proven over the years that it, too, can make a delicious mixed beverage. Check some of these recipes out to satiate whatever curiosity tonight’s tipple may have piqued.

• Sidecar – Said to have inspired the Between the Sheets, this drink is both smooth and sweet.
• Vieux Carré – Bring home the spirit of the Big Easy with this classic.
• French Connection – Cognac and amaretto make up this tasty treat.
• Incredible Hulk – You won’t be angry after you enjoy this bright green monster.