Ada Coleman, or just ”Coley” as she was known by her friends and customers, was a true bartender legend. As head bartender at the American Bar at the Savoy in London between 1903 and 1926 she created and served cocktails to the likes of Mark Twain and the Prince of Wales.

A comedic actor called Charles Hawtrey was a regular at the bar during the 1920s and he frequently asked Mrs Coleman for new cocktails with a bit of punch in them. After some experimentation she came up with a cocktail she wanted him to try. Draining the glass Mr Hawtrey exclaimed “By Jove! This is the real hanky-panky!” and the name stuck. At the time hanky-panky meant ‘magic’ or ‘witchcraft’.

The Hanky Panky is quite similar to its predecessor the Martinez but instead of Maraschino and bitters Coleman used Fernet Branca.

In 1926 the Savoy decided to install an American as head bartender at the American Bar and picked Harry Craddock, a legend in the making, who was already working the bar, while Ada Coleman retired to the hotel’s flower shop. Craddock was actually an englishman who emigrated to New York in 1897 but returned to England with an American accent as soon as Prohibition hit the US.

Mr Craddock went on to make the influential Savoy Cocktail Book in 1930 and creating classics such as the White Lady and the Corpse Reviver No 2.

The cocktail coupe is called Bon Bon and was designed by Helle Mardahl in 2020.

Product information

This is one in a series of illustrations of classic cocktail recipes with a selection of the most beautifully designed glasses.

The size 40x50 cm (approx 16x20”) are signed and printed on Hahnemühle Photo Rag Bright White 310g archival paper and are sold in a limited edition of 50 prints.

The size 30x40 cm (approx 12x16”) are printed on Hahnemühle Fine Art Studio Enhanced 210g archival paper.