Remember The Alimony cocktail recipe

A riff on the classic Negroni, Remember the Alimony is a delightful slow sipper combining gin, Cynar and fino sherry instead of sweet vermouth. Marrying (get it?) these three thoughtfully chosen and unique ingredients makes for a match made in cocktail heaven. But don’t be fooled by the name – you won’t be served any divorce papers. Just serve your lucky guests Remember the Alimony at your next soiree and be ready for their praise.

Dan Greenbaum created this drink in 2012 at (now shuttered cocktail bar) The Beagle in New York City’s East Village. It was one of several divorce-themed drinks on the menu, alongside the Haitian Divorce and Second Marriage. Shout out to your ex, Dan? Hailed as one of the best modern sherry cocktails, Remember The Alimony is Cockney rhyming slang for Negroni. Fun fact: it’s also the name of an episode of The Dick Van Dyke Show, and who doesn’t love a bit of classic Dick Van Dyke? (We also think Chitty Chitty Bang Bang would make a smashing cocktail name.)

In addition to the sherry, which adds a cleansing saline note, Remember the Alimony combines the bitter Italian artichoke-based aperitif Cynar and herbaceous gin, all topped off with a zesty orange twist. Swapping out the Negroni’s Campari for Cynar was a masterstroke by Dan, playing up the earthy elements and dialling back the sweetness. With the dry minerality of the almond-tinged sherry, and by adjusting the proportions and lowering the amount of gin, this drink is well-integrated and balanced to perfection.

Creator Dan Greenbaum recommends using a London dry gin for the base here. However, an interesting case is made for more aromatic gin styles to give the cocktail that extra bit of character and oomph. In short, feel free to mix and match to find your fave.

Remember The Alimony was designed to be made with fino sherry due to its minerality, salinity and slightly sharp edge. Other dry sherries will work for sure, but we reckon fino will produce the best results for this particular tipple to shine.

Known for its versatility and distinctive flavour, bartender darling Cynar is slightly sweet, slightly bitter and thoroughly complex. This drink is designed with the original Cynar in mind, but as always, feel free to taste-test as you go if this is your first foray into this liqueur so you can find the right balance.