Mad Cocktails-The Drinks of Mad Men

Mad Cocktails

It’s hard to ignore the cultural phenomena surrounding AMC Network’s Mad Men. In just two seasons they’ve racked up significant nominations and awards, inspired fashion designers, and have perhaps even sparked a renewed interest in proper cocktails. For many years bartenders got away with mixing rum and Coke, vodka and tonic, Apple-tinis, and the vile Red Bull mixed with anything, calling them cocktails, and the public accepted this. The past few years, however have given way to the term Mixologist; glorified bartenders who specialize in the resurgence of the classic, proper cocktail as well as many new classically inspired concoctions. The popularity of Mad Men has undoubtedly been a major catalyst in the cocktail revolution, and personally I couldn’t be more grateful.

Don Draper

The lead character on Mad Men, played by Jon Hamm is Don Draper. As Head of Creative Services he is mysterious, a womanizer and a family man, feared and respected by his subordinates. Draper drinks with clients, drinks with dinner, and drinks alone. He prefers the darker spirits like scotch, bourbon, and rye. He prefers to order the Old Fashioned – simple, mysterious, and masculine like Don himself.

Ingredients
2 dashes aromatic bitters
½ tsp sugar dissolved with water and bitters
1½ oz of Makers Mark bourbon
1 cherry
1 orange slice
1 lemon wedge
Instructions
Fill glass with ice. Add cherry, orange slice and lemon wedge. Pour in bourbon. Serve in a rocks glass over ice.

Roger Sterling

John Slattery plays Roger Sterling – the bad cop to Don’s equally bad cop. Two coronaries during the first season didn’t stop this silver fox from continuing his habits of boozing, smoking, and womanizing. In a second season episode he’s seen telling Don how he prefers to stick to the clear spirits like vodka and gin. A man of his stature most likely enjoys a Gibson Martini.

Ingredients
2½ oz of Tanqueray gin or Stoli vodka
¾ oz dry vermouth
3-5 cocktail onions
Instructions
Stir gin or vodka and vermouth on ice in mixing glass. Strain into martini glass and add cocktail onions.

Joan Holloway

The preceding men may call the shots, but the offices of Sterling Cooper Advertising would fall to pieces without head secretary and office manager, Joan Holloway played by the sultry Christina Hendricks. A curvy bodied, yet strong minded woman, Joan epitomizes the Marilynesque woman of the 60’s who every man wanted, and every woman wanted to be. In a tough man’s world she can handle her own. But when she’s faced with succumbing to the stereotypes of marriage she needs a drink as strong as any to get her through. A classically fresh and sophisticated Tom Collins leaves a girl like Joan relaxed and ready to tackle the next challenge.

Ingredients
1 oz fresh lemon juice
1 tsp sugar or simple syrup
1½ oz of Tanqueray gin
Lemon slices
Instructions
Mix sugar, gin and juice over ice in mixing glass, Stir, strain in cocktail glass, with ice and top it off with soda water. Garnish with lemon slices.

Peter Campbell

A go-getter with both eyes on Don Draper’s corner office, Peter Campbell played by Vincent Kartheiser represents a young man struggling with family issues, and disrespect from his superiors. There’s no mystery with this guy – the viewer knows exactly what he wants and how he wants it. That’s why nobody is every surprised when he tears into his bottle of J&B blended scotch before kissing his wife hello. He drinks it on the rocks, or with a twist. When he’s out trying to impress the brass he probably enjoys something a little flashier, like a Manhattan.

Ingredients
1¾ oz Canadian Club rye or Makers Mark bourbon
¾ oz of sweet vermouth
1 dash of aromatic bitters
1 maraschino cherry
Instructions
Pour bitters, liquors over ice in mixing glass. Stir and strain into martini glass, garnish with a maraschino cherry.

Peggy Olson

Rounding out the offices of Stirling Cooper Advertising is junior copywriter, Peggy Olson played by Elisabeth Moss. Over the first two seasons of the show she gave up her innocence in dress, candor, and imbibing as a means of getting ahead. It worked. During the first season we would have seen her nursing a Coca Cola, or if the mood set her right, a Pink Squirrel Martini  However, her tastes have since matured and would be more likely be seen rocking a White Russian. It may look innocent, but like Peggy it’ll get you where it hurts.

Ingredients
1 oz Stoli vodka
½ oz Kahlua coffee liquor
1 oz heavy cream
Instructions
Pour vodka, coffee liquor and heavy cream into cocktail glass. Stir well.

Betty Draper

Don seems to spend most of his time in the office, out to lunch, or with one of his many mistresses leaving his wife, Betty played by January Jones to caring for the house and kids, as well as her own thoughts and fantasies. In the season 2 finale she is seen in a bar first ordering a glass of water, then a Gimlet, before giving in to the charms of a younger man. Classically made with gin, or substituted for vodka as shown below, the Gimlet is classy, sexy, and refreshing. Oh, how we love Betty Draper…
Ingredients
1½ oz Stoli vodka
¾ oz lime juice
3-4 lime slices
Instructions
Pour Stoli and lime juice into mixing glass, shake and strain into martini glass. Add 3 to 4 slices of lime.

Mad Men season 3 premiers on Sunday, August 16th at 10PM on AMC.