Alexander Cocktail (1929)

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Some people say that the "Alexander cocktail" is from New York, so I checked the databases. London appears to be the best bet. Also, we had Prohibition, so no one in New York City drank anything.


(OED)
ALEXANDER
   A kind of cocktail.

  1930 H. CRADDOCK Savoy Cocktail Book I. 18 Alexander Cocktail,  Dry Gin,  Crème de Cacao,  Sweet Cream. 1951 N. BALCHIN Way through the Wood vii. 98 The sort of places where one always drinks Alexanders. 1958 A. L. SIMON Dict. Wines 55/1 Alexander, (1)  gin;  Crème de Cacao;  cream. Frappé. (2)  jigger Rye Whisky;  jigger Bénédictine; twist orange peel on top.


12 July 1929, Chicago <i>Daily Tribune</i>, pg. 12:
<i>NEVER HEARD OF IT.</i>
Chicago, July 4. - What are the constituents of an Alexander cocktail?
MARTHA.


13 November 1929, New York <i>Times</i>, pg. 5 ad:
Try this
ALEXANDER COCKTAIL
1/3 Holloway's London Dry, 1/3 Nuyens' Creme de Cacao, 1/3 Cream. Shake with cracked ice.
(Holloway's London Dry ad - ed.)


16 June 1941, Murphy column, pg. 10, cols. 1-4--(Fu Manchu, Jose Grunt, Myrtle Bank, Polynesian Luau drinks--ed.)  Col. 3:Every so often you'll read in the newspapers an item which says that so and so "invented" the Blankety-Blank Cocktail.  These claims are always hard to prove or disprove.  This is brought to mind by a memo I have written to myself which (Col. 4--ed.) says that the Zaza Cocktail was named after Mrs. Leslie Carter when she appeared in a play of the same name.  Event took place in Martin's Cafe on Ninth St., N. Y., during the early 1900's, I guess. Another memo of mine tells me the Alexander Cocktail was named after a bartender who first made this brandy & creme de cacao combination a white hue (with cream) in honor of the Phoebe Snow Birthday Party.  Could be.

(From Tavern Weekly News, "The Barman's Corner" by Patrick Murphy - ed.)