Affinity
The past couple years I’ve made a scotch-based cocktail for Father’s Day. This year I’m doing it again. So, I guess you could say it’s sort of become a tradition here on Kitchy. For those of you who don’t drink scotch, I apologize. If it makes you feel any better, I’m not a big fan of the brown liquor either. But Hubs is, and since he’s also the father of my two boys, I feel it’s only appropriate that I honor this wonderful father with a cocktail made from his favorite liquor. That liquor is, you guessed it, scotch.
So today I bring you the Affinity cocktail. It’s a scotch-based drink that many have equated with the Manhattan. But where the Manhattan uses rye or bourbon the Affinity uses, that’s right, scotch. The Manhattan is also a 2:1:1 ratio where the Affinity is a 1:1:1 ratio. So while the Manhattan may have more of a kick, the Affinity is more well rounded.
Created in 1907, the Affinity was an instant hit on Broadway. Yes, I’m talking about a cocktail and not a show, though a Broadway musical does have something to do with today’s cocktail. (I know, this is becoming a trend.) Not only was the Affinity a tasty libation, it was also a much needed feeling. See, New York and the nation were right in the middle of the Panic of 1907 which saw the New York Stock Exchange fall 50% from its peak the previous year. People needed something to lift their spirits. Luckily they had several options. There was the popular Valentine’s Day phrase of the day, “my affinity”, composer John W. Bratton’s hit, “Molly McGinnity, You’re My Affinity” and Maurice Levi and Harry B. Smith’s hit musical, The Soul Kiss, which included a song entitled “My Affinity”. With all these affinities, it’s understandable why this cocktail was dubbed as such, and why everyone was longing to feel an affinity for something, even if that something was a alcoholic beverage.
But I don’t need a cocktail to feel affinity. I already have a strong affection for the wonderful father who is Hubs; which is why it’s so apropos that the man for whom I have so much affinity, on this Father’s Day, enjoys the cocktail named for exactly the way I feel.
Affinity
Ingredients:
- 1 oz. scotch
- 1 oz. sweet vermouth
- 1 oz. dry vermouth
- 1-2 dashes of orange bitters
Directions:
- Mix all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake vigorously for 1 minute. Strain into a cocktail glass and serve.
If I was going to be with my dad for Father’s Day, I’d definitely make him your Affinity. He love scotch and he’d definitely appreciate this cocktail 🙂
Sorry you couldn’t be with your Dad on his day. I wasn’t with mine either. But maybe the next time you visit, you can whip him up this cocktail. I’m sure he’ll love it as Hubs enjoyed it immensely when I made it for him.