Lucien Gaudin Cocktail

By Lee Jackson ↣ Published on: July 3, 2020

Last Updated: March 17th, 20240 Comments on Lucien Gaudin Cocktail

The Lucien Gaudin is a vintage French riff on the classic Italian Negroni. A boozy orange citrus burst with a sophisticated dry finish. It’s a wonderful combination of flavour and fragrance.

Lucien Gaudin Cocktail

I have long since been a fan of the Negroni. Italy's superstar cocktail that's held firm as one of the World's most successful cocktails since its reported invention in 1919. I'm always hunting slight variations on the classic mix of gin, Campari & vermouth, so when I heard about the Lucien Gaudin Cocktail - I was intrigued.

Named after a famed Olympic Fencer (nobody knows why), the Lucien Gaudin takes its inspiration from the Negroni, but dries it out a little. It's a wonderful balance of bitter and semi-sweet. Dry from the gin and vermouth, bitter from the Campari and a little orange burst from the orange liqueur.

It's very well balanced and feels lighter, more summery than the Negroni, while still retaining all the bitterness that appeals to me.

Unlike the negroni, which uses sweet vermouth, the Lucien Gaudin uses dry vermouth and amps up the orange bitterness in the form of orange liqueur; think Cointreau, triple sec etc. I found a rather delicious French orange liqueur recently which worked wonderfully. It's a super refreshing cocktail over ice and makes great use of my favourite aperitif. It's most certainly on my ever-evolving cocktail rotation.

Lucien Gaudin Cocktail

Who was Lucien Gaudin?

Lucien Gaudin was a French fencer who became one of the most successful fencers in the history of the sport. He was born on September 27, 1886, in Arras, France, and died on September 23, 1934. Gaudin won gold medals in both individual and team events in foil and épée at the Olympic Games.

This cocktail, named after Lucien Gaudin, is believed to have been created in the early 20th century, likely during the era when Gaudin was at the peak of his fencing career. The exact origins of the cocktail and its connection to Lucien Gaudin are not entirely clear, but it's often speculated that it was named in his honor due to its French origin and perhaps its elegance, much like the skill and grace exhibited by Gaudin in his fencing.

Why it works?

It's a sophisticated, flavourful cocktail - I love that it has some of the familiarity of a negroni, but a little more boozy and dry. It feels like a grown up cocktail!

Lucien Gaudin Cocktail

Stuff You'll Need

Here are the key flavours to create your delicious Lucien Gaudin Cocktail.

  • Campari - for all its wonderful herbal bitterness.
  • Gin - more boozy dryness.
  • Dry vermouth - adds fragrance and more dryness to the cocktail
  • Orange liqueur - finally a little sweetness and citrus orange burst.
  • Ice - try larger ice cubes or spheres to avoid watering down the cocktail.

Ready to get started?

For a sophisticated and refreshing mix of dry, bitter and citrus flavours, the Lucien Gaudin is just the tippple. A spendid riff on the classic Negroni and sure to be a favourite once you've tasted your first sip. Salute! Hope you enjoy!

A glass of Lucien Gaudin cocktail with ice and a twist of lemon

More delicious cocktails

If you liked the Lucien Gaudin cocktail, you must try more of my favourite cocktail recipes.

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Lucien Gaudin Cocktail

Lucien Gaudin Cocktail

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5 from 1 vote
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Recipe by Lee
Course Drinks
Cuisine French, Italian
Prep Time2 minutes
Total Time2 minutes
Servings (adjustable) 1
Calories (per serving) | 116

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Combine all ingredients together in a glass of your choice with ice, stir briefly.
    Top with a slither of orange peel.

Nutrition

Calories: 116kcal (6%) | Carbohydrates: 14g (5%) | Protein: 1g (2%) | Fat: 1g (2%) | Saturated Fat: 1g (6%) | Sodium: 5mg | Potassium: 118mg (3%) | Fiber: 1g (4%) | Sugar: 5g (6%) | Vitamin C: 1mg (1%)
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