One of the earliest recorded recipes for the Combinación comes from Pedro Chicote, one of Spain’s most famous bartenders, in his 1927 book, El Bar Americano en España. His formula calls for dry gin and vermouth in equal proportions, plus a small measure of red Curaçao and Angostura bitters. Fast-forward almost a century and Cabrera has reimagined the classic with minor tweaks, calling it the Media Combinación, as the drink is better known in Madrid. (Similar drinks with varying proportions appear in different regions under different names, like the Marianito in the Basque region.) Cabrera’s bar, Viva Madrid, ditches the Curaçao and uses a house blend of sherry and sweet vermouth, specifically Navarro vermouth, which is made from raisins and without added sugar.
Media Combinación
Diego Cabrera | Madrid
Ingredients
Serving: 1
- scant 3/4 ounce London dry gin
- heavy 1 1/4 ounces fortified wine blend (see Editor's Note)
- 4 drops Angostura bitters
Garnish: half a lemon slice, lemon twist
Directions
- Combine all the ingredients in a rocks glass with ice and briefly stir.
- Garnish with half a lemon slice and a lemon twist.
Editor's Note
Fortified Wine Blend
Combine sweet vermouth, preferably Navarro, with amontillado sherry or palo cortado sherry in a ratio of 3 to 1 .