Tuxedo No. 2

The Tuxedo, which drew its name, according to bar lore, from the same place as the evening suit—Tuxedo Park, enclave of the elite in upstate New York—is a confusing character. There are actually two Tuxedo cocktails running around, and have been since the early twentieth century. One, generally believed to be the original, contains gin, sherry, and orange bitters, and is bone dry. The other, typically referred to as Tuxedo No. 2, mixes gin, maraschino liqueur, vermouth, and absinthe, and is lightly luscious. Both are good, but No. 2 is perhaps more common. This version comes from Flora Bar, in New York, which does a great job with the drink.