Nadia George
May 02, 2024
The Spicy Fifty was adapted from a recipe created by Salvatore Calabrese in 2004-2005 for his bar Fifty, which was to open in London. After some delay, it finally opened in February 2005, and the Spicy Fifty acted as the signature drink on the menu.
2/3oz / 5cl Vanilla vodka, 1/2oz / 1.5cl Elderflower cordial, 1/2oz / 1.5cl Fresh lime juice, 1/3oz / 1cl Honey syrup [2 parts honey to 1 part water] , 2 thin slices Red chile pepper"
A few months before Salvatore created the Spicy Fifty, Myles Cunliffe, a bartender at Brownes Bar and Restaurant in Brighton, invented a similar cocktail, MyZo. Chilli was also starting to appear in London cocktails, and Danny Smith invented the Fuego Manzana No.2.
As the cocktail culture at the time continued to evolve and some ingredients naturally made their way to the fore, the time was ripe for a cocktail like the Spicy Fifty. The cocktail uses a vanilla vodka base, assured and strong but also with a tinge of sweetness and woodiness.
Ingredients: 50 ml Vodka Vanilla, 15 ml elderflower cordial, 15 ml fresh lime juice, 10 ml Monin honey syrup, 2 thin slices red chilli pepper
Pour all the ingredients into a cocktail shaker. Shake well with ice. Double-strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a red chilli pepper