The history of the Elk’s Own Cocktail

The Elk’s Own cocktail originated from a sparkling drink called the Chicago Fizz in the late 19th century. Over time, the base of the Chicago Fizz, which was originally rum, was replaced with rye whiskey and leaving out the soda, giving rise to the Elk’s Own.
In 1901, the Chicago Fizz evolved into the Elk’s Fizz and Peter Sindar from St. Paul, Minnesota, was awarded the Bartender’s Medal of the National Police Gazette for his recipe interpretation. The Elk’s Own cocktail, as we know it today, was first published in Harry McElhone’s book “Barflies & Cocktails” in 1927. This version was presented as a Sour without soda, marking its final form.

So, what do we have at Elk’s Own Cocktail?

The cocktail combines the dry crisp spice of rye whiskey with the complex sweetness and dried berry flavors of port wine, creating a deep and layered taste experience. The addition of egg white or aquafaba gives the drink a silky texture. I liked the idea of showing you a sour to introduce you to port wine. Because the Elk’s Own is actually a very close relative of the more popular Continental Sour. I stick very closely to the recipe from the Savoy Cocktail Book from 1930 in which whiskey and port wine are mixed in equal parts, and I like it a lot. You can chose between tawny or ruby port wine. Both work fine here.

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