Bitter Meets Sweet In The Kingston Club

May 25, 2026 | By Benjamin Smith
Kingston Club

Everything You Need to Know About the Kingston Club

The Kingston Club is a modern classic cocktail created by acclaimed bartender Jeffrey Morgenthaler in 2011. Morgenthaler designed it as an "herbal tropical" drink, combining the honey-sweet, spiced notes of Drambuie with tropical pineapple and lime juice and bitters. The final key ingredient is a small measure of intensely bitter Fernet Branca, which cuts through the sweetness to produce a surprisingly dry, complex, and highly refreshing long drink, typically topped with soda water. It is a pioneering drink that successfully marries Scotch-based liqueurs with tropical flavors.

Kingston Club

Prep Time3 min
Yield1 Cocktail
Base SpiritDrambuie

Ingredients

  • 1.5 oz Drambuie
  • 1.5 oz Pineapple Juice
  • 0.75 oz Lime Juice
  • 1 tsp Fernet Branca
  • 3 Dashes Aromatic Bitters
  • Chilled Soda Water
Bitter Meets Sweet In The Kingston Club

Instructions

  1. Combine the Drambuie, pineapple juice, lime juice, Fernet Branca, and Angostura bitters in a cocktail shaker with ice.
  2. Shake vigorously until the shaker is ice-cold.
  3. Strain the mixture into a chilled highball or Collins glass filled with fresh ice.
  4. Top with chilled soda water and gently stir.
  5. Garnish with a pineapple wedge or an orange twist.
Pro Tip
For a perfect presentation and silky texture, shake the cocktail vigorously for a full 15 seconds. The fresh pineapple juice will create a beautiful, fine foam that rests beneath the soda water, enhancing the drinking experience.

Kingston Club Riff

For a lighter body, reduce the amount of Drambuie to 1 oz and increase the soda water. For a richer, more powerful version, replace the soda water with ginger beer.

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