The Clover Club, made with gin, fresh lemon juice, raspberry syrup and egg white, dates back to pre-Prohibition — mentions of it appear as early as 1908. It is named for the Clover Club, a gentlemen’s club of the same name in Philadelphia that was a popular haunt of politicians and high fliers of the time.
Enjoying a quick surge in popularity, the cocktail just as quickly fell out of favor. Author Charles Browne described it as “an awful mixture,” but, as with many storied cocktails, the recipe had a number of additions — including cream and vermouth — so it’s difficult to tell which variation Browne is referring to.
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Perhaps the inclusion of egg white added to its popularity crisis as it can be tricky to recreate at home — but spend time on perfecting the art and you’re left with a light, frothy texture that deliciously elevates the sour lemon and tart raspberry.
Despite the rollercoaster of popularity (there’s now a bar named after it in Brooklyn, NY), it’s still a beloved cocktail for many. Plus, the pretty pink hue means it’s rather apt for Valentine’s Day.
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This version uses The Botanist Gin. Produced by the Bruichladdich Distillery, located on the Isle of Islay in Scotland, it is meticulously crafted in small batches. Ingredients are sourced from the island’s rich and diverse landscape — it includes a total of 22 hand-foraged botanicals, as well as nine classic gin botanicals.
The gin is distilled using a traditional method in a copper pot known as ‘Ugly Betty.’ This slow and precise distillation process allows the flavors of the botanicals to be gently extracted, resulting in a smooth, well-balanced gin.
Ingredients:
– 2 oz The Botanist
– 0.5 oz Lemon juice, freshly squeezed
– 0.5 oz Raspberry syrup
– 1 Egg white
– Raspberries
Method: Add The Botanist, lemon juice, raspberry syrup, and egg white into a shaker. Shake vigorously for five seconds. Add ice and shake until well-chilled, approximately ten seconds. Strain into a child cocktail glass. Garnish with three speared raspberries.
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