Longshoreman Cocktail

By Steve Kilcullen Jump to Recipe

Bring the romance of a fog-shrouded seaside town to your home bar, with the robust and strong Longshoreman.

The shore was perhaps a mile away, but may as well have been a thousand. The waves roiled and churned, knocking my old lobster boat to and fro. A mile out from the jetty, as the sun was dipping below the horizon behind my vessel, a squall came out of nowhere. Or so I thought… For this be no storm, but a leviathan from the deep claiming my little ship for its supper.

As the sea beast rose from the depths, the ocean around us became violent and rough. My stomach began doing somersaults. I clutched the boat’s wheel for dear life, in hopes my body wasn’t thrown about in a similar fashion. A monstrous roar filled the air, nearly bursting my eardrums. Was that the unseen horror beneath me? Or just the sound of my tiny transport being broken into kindling? These questions became moot. The ship’s wheel broke free, my hands still gripping it tightly. I was in the air, spinning, weightless, the wheel still in my hand. As I tumbled through the sky, I caught a glimpse of the dock and shantytown below me. Land ho! But would I become a smear atop someone’s home as I landed? I’d soon find out.

As I braced for a horrible impact, the iron grip of a massive hand wrapped around one of my ankles. My head spun as I was flung about one last time. Landing on the far side of the creaky dock, I was covered in salty brine from a crashing wave. I saw my boat offshore disintegrate into a million fiery splinters as the engine exploded. The monster was gone and the water it terrorized had quickly calmed. Soon, all was quiet. Then I felt someone towering over me.

Turning and looking up, I saw my savior. With a beard as thick as bramble, arms as big as trees and a peacoat fluttering in the maritime breeze, stood a heroic longshoreman. Grabbing the scruff of my shirt, he hoisted me over his shoulder and started walking toward town, taking massive, giant strides.

Thankful that this large fella had saved my life, I was understandably curious as to where we were going. “Say, uh… what’s the destination?”

A loud and boisterous laugh guffawed from somewhere in the depths of his beard. “Why, to the tavern my drenched friend. We’ll warm up by enjoying a Longshoreman or two. Maybe three.”

His laughter continued, drowning out any further questions I could’ve asked. I assumed these Longshoremen he mentioned were cocktails. At least, I hoped they were. I was a little too exhausted for anything else.

What Is The Best Alcohol To Use In A Longshoreman Cocktail?

A Longshoreman is comprised of rye whiskey, sweet vermouth and Amaro Averna. Averna is a Sicilian liqueur that has been around since 1868. It is thick, sweet and has bitter, herbal notes. Mixed with a good rye and sweet vermouth, the Longshoreman is a spicy, full-bodied dram with a velvety smooth texture. I usually go with a bottle of High West or Bulleit when it comes to rye whiskey, as both are smooth, strong and robust. Don’t skimp out on your vermouth, either. Cheap vermouth is just plain bad, there’s no way around it. Dolin is a fantastic brand I use at home. But the best sweet vermouth is Antica Formula. Try it once and you’ll never use anything else.

WHAT GLASSWARE AND GARNISH ARE USED?

Chill an elegant and long-stemmed cocktail coupe in the freezer for up to thirty minutes before you mix up a Longshoreman for yourself. Garnish with an orange twist, after its oils have been expressed over your cocktail.

HOW DOES AVERNA COMPARE TO OTHER TYPES OF AMARO?

An amaro is a type of Italian herbal liqueur, and Amaro Averna is a particular brand of amaro. While many types of amaro are bittersweet, Averna is sweeter and thicker, with notes of citrus and caramel.

Similar Cocktails To The Longshoreman

If the spicy, sweet and complex flavors of the Longshoreman tickled your fancy, you may be on the hunt for more drams that hit some comparable notes. And if you know what you’re in the mood for, but aren’t sure where to start or what to try, let Twist & Toast do some of the heavy lifting. Try a few of these tipples out, then explore the site for more delicious elixirs.

• Black Manhattan – Amaro, rye whiskey and bitters make up this dark and sophisticated sipper.
• Paper Plane – Bourbon, amaro and Aperol create this orange-colored cocktail.
• Bobby Burns – This poetic mixture features scotch, sweet vermouth and Bénédictine.
• Vermouth Cocktail – Sweet vermouth takes center stage as the base for this fascinating drink.