The Lady Killer Cocktail is the perfect summer drink to serve to gin lovers looking for a taste of the tropics.
Our refreshingly fruity Lady Killer Drink recipe features London dry gin, Cointreau, apricot brandy, plus passion fruit & pineapple juice.
The eye-popping cocktail is served in an elegant Collins glass and garnished with a lime wheel. It’s the perfect thirst-quenching sip to savour in the summer sun, or while dreaming about a breezy beach vacation, any time of the year!
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What Is A Lady Killer Cocktail?
The Lady Killer Cocktail tastes like a tropical vacation in a glass!
Winner of the 1985 IBA International Cocktail Challenge, The Lady Killer drink was created by bartender Peter Roth for the International Bartenders Association Championship.
The cocktail features 3 spirits (gin, apricot brandy and Cointreau), which is shaken together with pineapple and passion fruit juice.
Ingredients
This easy Lady Killer drink recipe is best made with quality ingredients.
- Gin: we suggest using a London dry gin like Bombay Sapphire, Tanqueray, or Beefeater.
- Cointreau: this French orange liqueur infuses the drink with the flavour of juicy citrus.
- Apricot Brandy: adds the sweetness of our favourite stone fruit.
- Passion Fruit Juice: described as the true flavour and essence of the topics, passion fruit’s taste is intensely aromatic, featuring citrus notes and a tart finish
- Pineapple Juice: our favourite tropical fruit juice when shaken vigorously produces a frothy foam, giving the drink a creamy mouthfeel.
- Garnish: garnish each ice-filled Collins glass with a lime wheel or wedge.
Directions
This authentic Lady Killer Cocktail recipe is so easy to make at home, ready to serve in under 5 minutes!
- PREPARE THE GLASS: Begin by preparing your Collins glass. Fill each glass with ice to chill then set aside.
- SHAKE & STRAIN: Pour gin, Cointreau, Apricot brandy, passion fruit juice and pineapple juice into an ice-filled cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously for 30-45 seconds until chilled. Strain into chilled glasses.
- GARNISH & SERVE: Decorate the glass with a lime wheel.
Full instructions are in the recipe card below.
Lady Killer Drink Recipe Tips
- We suggest serving this drink in a Collins glass but you can also use a rocks glass if you prefer.
- This recipe serves one person. If you’re hosting a large gathering feel free to multiply the ingredients by the number of guests and muddle the drink in a festive punch bowl or jug.
- We like to use Cointreau but you can substitute with another orange liqueur like Triple Sec if you prefer.
- If you don’t have apricot brandy on your bar cart Peach Schnapps is a suitable substitute.
- You can level up this cocktail for a glamorous occasion by topping the drink with sparkling wine.
- If you feel the drink is too tart or boozy, feel free to add a splash of soda water.
- An hour or two before you’re planning on serving drinks we suggest placing the liqor bottles in your freezer so they’re well chilled.
- We like to garnish the drink with a lime wheel but you can also add a maraschino cherry.
Best Bartender Tools & Cocktail Equipment
Before hosting a swanky Lady Killer Cocktail soiree you’ll need to ensure you have the best bartender tools and cocktail equipment.
- Cocktail Kit: cocktail kits are the perfect gift for newbie mixology fans as they include basic bartender tools like a jigger, shaker and spoon.
- Cocktail Shaker: a bartender’s best friend. Purchase a premium cocktail shaker to muddle or shake up your favourite pink gin cocktails.
- Cocktail Glassware: make sure your bar is stocked with a selection of unique glassware to show off your favourite cocktail creations.
- Hawthorne Strainer: this unique strainer features tightly wound coils and perforated holes. It keeps ice and other large ingredients like lime wedges in your cocktail shaker rather than in the glass.
- Bar Spoons: slender and long bar spoons are a must-have when stirring drinks.
- Bottle Opener: easily open bottles of beer or cider with the flick of your wrist or purchase a corkscrew for fine wine.
- Pouring Spout: once you’ve opened a new bottle of gin insert these affordable pourers to make cocktail assembly a breeze.
- Cutting Board: purchase a petite cutting board for your bar to slice garnishes or citrus wedges like lime, orange, lemon or grapefruit.
- Ice Bucket: chill bottles of gin quickly in an ice bucket or keep by the bar when muddling gin mixers into cool creations.
- Ice Crusher: fans of the Mint Julep love an ice crusher.
- Ice Cube Kit: we suggest purchasing a selection of ice cube trays. Silicone styles are our favourite as they’re easy to clean and are available in various shapes and sizes.
- Jigger: use a jigger to accurately measure spirits, juices, syrups and shrubs.
- Juicer: invest in an electronic juicer or buy an affordable hand-held to easily juice fresh citrus like lemons and limes.
- Muddler: fans of the Mojito love a sturdy muddler to mix mint and lime. Muddler’s are handy for any cocktail featuring ingredients that need a pounding like fresh herbs or citrus wedges.
- Citrus Peeler & Zester: adorn your craft cocktails with a thick citrus peel or finer ribbons of lime or lemon zest.
- Rimmer: Bloody Mary and Caesar lovers should outfit their bar with a handy rimmer for salting and sugaring glassware.
You May Also Enjoy These Gin Cocktails…
- Southside Fizz Cocktail
- Cucumber Mint Gimlet
- French Blackcurrant Creme de Cassis Cocktail
- Passion Fruit Gin Cocktail
- Italian Espresso Coffee Negroni
- Gin Old Fashioned Cocktail
- Marmalade Gin Martini
- Gin Mojito Cocktail
- Chambord Raspberry Bramble Cocktail
- Munich Mule Cocktail
- French Gimlet St Germain Elderflower Gin Cocktail
- Negroni Sour Cocktail
When To Serve A Lady Killer Cocktail
This refreshing Lady Killer Cocktail can be enjoyed any time of year but we love to serve it most on hot summer days at garden parties and backyard barbecues.
Here are some fun ideas on when to serve a Lady Killer drink:
- A Caribbean or tropical themed party.
- Happy hour drink served alongside snacks like charcuterie, cheese, crackers, olives, potato chips, pickles, and roasted nuts.
- Classy guys or girls night beverage
- Pre-drink at home before meeting friends at your local bar
- A refreshing sipper served on a hot summer day at a backyard barbecue or garden party
- Dinner party cocktail served with your favourite tropical dishes like Gazpacho Moreliano Mexican Fruit Salad, Mango Pico de Gallo Salsa, Pineapple Plantain Jamaican Jerk Chicken Burger, Old Fashioned Hummingbird Cake, or Ajiaco Cubano.
How To Make A Refreshing Lady Killer Cocktail
Lady Killer Cocktail
Equipment
- Jigger
- Collins Glass
- Cocktail Shaker
Ingredients
- 1 oz Gin
- 0.5 oz Cointreau
- 0.5 oz Apricot Brandy
- 2 oz Passion Fruit Juice
- 2 oz Pineapple Juice
- Lime Wheel garnish
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to an ice filled cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously for 30-45 seconds until cooled.
- Fill a Collins glass with ice then strain contents of cocktail shaker into the glass.
- Garnish with a lime wheel.
Nutrition
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Love a tropical cocktail!