Dubonnet Cocktail

Written by
Colleen Graham
Colleen Graham is a cocktail expert, professional bartender, and cookbook author with over 10 years of experience in the food-writing world.
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Colleen Graham
Updated 03/31/21
Dubonnet Cocktail

The Spruce 
Prep: 3 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 3 mins
Serving: 1 serving
Yield: 1 cocktail
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
110 Calories
0g Fat
2g Carbs
0g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 110
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 137mg 6%
Total Carbohydrate 2g 1%
Dietary Fiber 1g 2%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 8mg 39%
Calcium 10mg 1%
Iron 0mg 1%
Potassium 30mg 1%
*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.)

The Dubonnet cocktail is designed to showcase the finest gin you have in the liquor cabinet. Originally an un-garnished cocktail from the 1930s, the Dubonnet cocktail is now often served with a twist of lemon and sometimes an orange peel.

Essentially, this cocktail replaces the dry vermouth of a classic gin martini with Dubonnet Rouge, which is a fortified wine with quinine. Dubonnet Rouge is rich and slightly sweeter than the average sweet vermouth.

The Dubonnet cocktail is said to be a favorite of Queen Elizabeth II and her mother, who preferred it served on the rocks. It has fallen into obscurity in recent years but makes an ideal aperitif. Be sure to serve it at your next dinner party.

Ingredients

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Pour the ingredients into a mixing glass with ice cubes.

  3. Stir well.

  4. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

  5. Garnish with the lemon twist. Serve and enjoy.

Recipe Variation

If you were to switch the proportions of the two ingredients and use 1 1/2 ounces Dubonnet to 3/4 ounce gin, you would have a cocktail called the Queen Mother. It is another tribute to the royal family.

What Is Dubonnet?

Dubonnet is a brand name for a very specific aperitif wine that originated in France. It was created in 1846 by Joseph Dubonnet, a chemist and wine merchant from Paris. Dubonnet designed his fortified wine to help make bitter quinine (the key ingredient in tonic water, which was created to fight off disease) more palatable to French soldiers battling malaria in North Africa. The result was Dubonnet Rouge, which is "a proprietary blend of herbs, spices, and peels."​


Dubonnet comes in two varieties and Dubonnet Rouge is the more common of the two. It has a red-wine base and is rich and semi-sweet. Some drinkers find notes of orange, nuts, chocolate, and coffee in the taste. The second variety, Dubonnet Blanc, is made with a white wine base, is the drier of the two, and is similar to dry vermouth. Either variety of Dubonnet can be served on its own when well-chilled or as a spritzer when topped with sparkling water or club soda. You can also use them in any cocktail that calls for vermouth. It is produced and bottled in the United States, a product of Heaven Hills Brands. It is 19 percent alcohol by volume (38 proof).

How Strong Is the Dubonnet Cocktail?

Notice that the Dubonnet cocktail is a very small drink. After straining, you will only have about 2 1/2 ounces to pour into your glass. It was designed that way because it is a potent little beverage, weighing in at around 29 percent ABV (58 proof).


Aperitifs of this strength are typically short because you don't want to be tipsy before the first course arrives, and it's likely this won't be your last drink of the meal.