The Bizzy Izzy isn't a new cocktail, but its split base of high-proof bourbon and dry sherry was pretty modern for its time. It's a delicious highball, balanced and easy to sip.
This cocktail was originally created by St. Louis bartender Thomas Bullock, the first Black American to author a cocktail book: "The Ideal Bartender." Published in 1917, it is not only considered a historical document, but it also offers useful insight into pre-Prohibition cocktail creation and drinking culture. Bullock gained widespread attention for his prowess behind the bar at the St. Louis Country Club. His Gillee cocktail is believed to be one of the earliest iterations of the classic Gimlet, and his Mint Julep was particularly legendary as it was part of a 1913 libel scandal involving former President Theodore Roosevelt, who felt the need to counter rumors about his drinking habits by claiming he only took two sips of Bullock's drink. In response, The St. Louis Post-Dispatch printed an editorial that incredulously asked, "Who was ever known to drink just a part of one of Tom's [Juleps]?" Little is known about Mr. Bullock's whereabouts after Prohibition, but his influence on the cocktail industry lives on.
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Bizzy Izzy
Yields| 1 cocktail |
- ½ oz fresh lemon juice
- ½ oz pineapple juice
- ½ oz Liber & Co. Demerara Gum Syrup
- 1 oz 100-proof bourbon
- 1¼ oz Amontillado sherry
- 3 oz soda water, chilled
- Maraschino cherries (for garnish)
| Preparation | Place first five ingredients into shaker tin with ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a Collins glass filled with fresh ice, top with soda water and give a gentle stir to incorporate. Garnish with cherries.
