Madison Avenue Cocktail

Classic Madison Avenue Cocktail Recipe

The Spruce / S&C Design Studios

Prep: 3 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 3 mins
Serving: 1 serving
Yield: 1 cocktail

The Madison Avenue cocktail is a great classic drink that is similar to the mojito, but just a little bit different. The recipe has the same rum, lime, and mint base, it skips the muddle, and it adds a hint of orange (Cointreau is the recommended liqueur). It's both familiar and unique while offering a refreshing and nicely balanced cocktail to enjoy.

The creator of this drink was Eddie Woelke, who worked at the Weylin Bar around 1936. The bar was located in a hotel of the same name on Madison Avenue in New York City which was built in 1921. During Prohibition, Woelke had fled to Cuba to tend bar and he is well-known for creating the El Presidente and Mary Pickford cocktails. He definitely had a preference for rum as all three use the spirit as the foundation.

Ingredients

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. In a cocktail shaker, pour the rum, orange liqueur, lime juice, and bitters. Add a few mint leaves.

  3. Fill with ice and shake well.

  4. Strain into an old-fashioned glass with fresh ice.

  5. Garnish with a sprig of mint and lime slice. Serve and enjoy.

Tips

  • This isn't designed to be a mint cocktail, rather a cocktail with a hint of mint. Keep the mint leaves to just a few instead of the full sprig common in mojitos for a balanced drink.
  • Since there's no muddling involved, wake up the mint's essential oils by slapping the leaves between your palms or tearing them a little bit. You should notice that they become more fragrant.
  • Fresh lime juice will create a better Madison Avenue. Since the average lime yields about 1 ounce, you can simply squeeze half of a fruit into the shaker.

Recipe Variations

  • One variation on this cocktail uses equal parts of orange liqueur and lime juice, pouring 3/4 ounce of each.
  • The drink can be served without ice in an old-fashioned or cocktail glass if you prefer. It's best when the glass is chilled.
  • Though white (or light) rum is recommended, try this cocktail with an aged rum to give it a little more depth.

How Strong Is a Madison Avenue Cocktail?

The Madison Avenue cocktail is a pretty strong drink, something you'll want to keep in mind before mixing up another round. When made with Cointreau and a rum of equal strength (80 proof), it shakes up to about 28 percent ABV (56 proof). To put that into perspective, it's stronger than a daiquiri and more along the lines of a whiskey Manhattan.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
203 Calories
0g Fat
18g Carbs
1g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 203
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 4mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 18g 6%
Dietary Fiber 2g 7%
Total Sugars 9g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 24mg 121%
Calcium 25mg 2%
Iron 1mg 3%
Potassium 90mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)