Yellow DaisyCocktail recipe
Rating
Can you make this?
Add the ingredients you have at home to your My Bar and we'll show you what cocktails you can make. Start off by adding the ingredients you have for this cocktail using the plus icons.
Yellow Daisy sits in the gin-and-vermouth family, with a bright citrus liqueur twist and a whisper of anise. While it isn’t a widely documented classic with a single agreed origin story, it reads like a modern, spirit-forward riff that borrows cues from early aperitif and martini-style drinks—built to be aromatic, elegant, and unapologetically grown-up in character.
You’ll find dry gin setting a crisp, botanical backbone, while dry vermouth stretches that profile into something lighter and more perfumed. Grand Marnier brings a rounded orange sweetness that softens the edges and adds depth without turning the drink sugary. A few dashes of absinthe sit on top like a high-note accent, threading anise through the gin’s botanicals and making the finish feel longer and more intriguing.
Serve it in a chilled cocktail glass when you want something refined and bracing—ideal before dinner, or anytime you’d normally reach for a martini but want more aroma and a hint of orange. It suits drinkers who like dry, layered cocktails and appreciate subtle, lingering complexity rather than overt fruitiness.
Microbadges
Can you make this?
Add the ingredients you have at home to your My Bar and we'll show you what cocktails you can make. Start off by adding the ingredients you have for this cocktail using the plus icons.
Tags
Cocktail glass
Ingredients
Cocktail Colin says:
Dry gin and white vermouth lead with crisp botanicals and a clean, lightly herbal dryness, while Grand Marnier brings a rounded orange sweetness that fills the mid‑palate and absinthe adds a fleeting anise lift on the finish. It works because the vermouth’s dryness reins in the liqueur and the absinthe’s edge sharpens the gin, ideal for martini drinkers who want a citrusy twist and don’t mind a hint of licorice.
Method
How to make a Yellow Daisy
- Dry gin 40 ml, Absinthe 3 dashes, Grand Marnier 20 ml, White vermouth 40 ml (Dry Vermouth)
-
- Stir all ingredients with ice, then strain into a chilled coupe glass
-
- Serve neat with no garnish, allowing the drink's elegant flavors to shine
Power tips
Elevate the Yellow Daisy with these master mixologist tips
Upgrade to premium
And receive world class tips on how to raise your cocktails to the next level.
Find out more- Use a high-quality, small-batch dry gin to enhance the botanical elements. A gin with a robust juniper profile will create a more balanced cocktail when combined with the absinthe's herbal notes.
- Chill all the glassware in advance and ensure your ingredients are cold before mixing. This will prevent excessive dilution during the stirring process and preserve the cocktail's intended flavor profile.
- Upgrade to premium to receive even more power tips on this cocktail.
Your private tasting notes
Featured in
FAQ's
What is the history of the Yellow Daisy cocktail?
The Yellow Daisy cocktail has a fascinating history, dating back to the early 20th century. It was prominently featured in Harry Craddock's 1930 'The Savoy Cocktail Book', which is a pivotal publication in the world of cocktails. Contrary to what its name might suggest, the Yellow Daisy is not related to the daisy family of cocktails. Instead, it is considered a sweetened and aromatized version of the Martini. Its popularity surged during the early 1900s, thanks to its unique flavor profile that marries dry, sweet, and herbal notes. Furthermore, it is said to have been the favorite drink of Richard William
How should the Yellow Daisy cocktail be prepared?
The Yellow Daisy cocktail should be prepared with precision to ensure its balanced flavor profile is properly expressed. It is traditionally a cold, alcoholic cocktail that is shaken, not stirred. To prepare it, you would typically combine dry gin, white vermouth, Grand Marnier, and a few dashes of absinthe in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shaking the mixture well until it is chilled, you would then strain it into a cocktail glass. The shaking process is crucial in properly mixing the ingredients and chilling the cocktail swiftly. This technique results in a well-mixed, frothy cherry gold liquid that enhances the cocktail's aromatic and flavor notes.
Are there any common ingredient substitutions for the Yellow Daisy cocktail?
While the Yellow Daisy cocktail is traditionally made with dry gin, white vermouth, Grand Marnier, and absinthe, there are a few potential substitutions you can consider if you have dietary restrictions or ingredient preferences. For instance, if you prefer a different type of orange liqueur, you might substitute Grand Marnier with Cointreau, which is another high-quality orange liqueur that can offer a slightly different citrus profile. In place of absinthe, which might be too strong or hard to find, a pastis or other anise-flavored spirit can be used, though you should adjust the quantity to taste as these can differ in intensity. Always remember that substitutions can change the flavor profile, so experiment with caution and taste as you go!
How does the alcohol content of the Yellow Daisy compare to other cocktails?
The Yellow Daisy cocktail boasts an alcohol content of around 21%, which is quite standard for a cocktail but on the stronger side when compared to lower-proof drinks like the Screwdriver or a Mimosa, which usually have less alcohol. This higher alcohol content is due to its base of dry gin and fortified wine like vermouth, along with the inclusion of Grand Marnier and a hint of absinthe, all of which are higher in alcohol percentages. This makes the Yellow Daisy more comparable to classic Martinis or Manhattans, which generally range from 20% to 30% alcohol by volume after mixing. For those who prefer lighter drinks, it can be enjoyed responsibly by extending it with ice or seltzer water to dilute the overall strength without compromising too much on flavor.
What is the cultural significance of the Yellow Daisy cocktail?
The Yellow Daisy holds a special place in cocktail culture largely due to its feature in 'The Savoy Cocktail Book', which has historically been an influential collection that shaped the modern landscape of mixology. The cocktail's association with historic Wild West figure Richard William 'Deadwood Dick' Clark adds an intriguing layer of Americana and blends it with the refined cocktail culture of the 1930s. It embodies the spirit of innovation in cocktail creation, showing how classic ingredients can be combined in new ways to produce entirely unique flavor profiles, bringing a sense of adventure and exploration to the cocktail experience. This sense of history and craftsmanship continues to appeal to cocktail enthusiasts who appreciate both the drink's rich past and its sophisticated taste, making it a beloved choice for classic cocktail aficionados.
Upgrade your mixology
Become a member for free taking your cocktail making skills up to level 11. Or become a premium member to rise to cocktail greatness.
- Save your bar forever
- Access to our Cocktail Creator, allowing you to create your own wonderful concoctions.
- Access to Cocktail Colin; ask Cocktail Colin anything on an individual cocktail and he'll give you the answers you need.
- Create personalised cocktail menus for all your events, bars or parties
- Save cocktails to personalised 'Tried' and 'Want to try' lists
- Create and record tasting notes on cocktails
- Create lists of cocktails to share with friends and family
- A personalised MyBar URL, allowing you to share everything you can make with friends
- And much more ... (what to buy next, measurement choices, search personalisation...)
Have you tried our Wordpress Plugin?
Download our plugin and embed cocktail recipes directly onto your own site or blog.
Choose from our whole recipe database, or choose a specific cocktail made with a certain ingredient, and let us place a beautiful recipe on your own site.
Find out moreYou might also like
Discover this zesty mix of lime and botanicals.
Last Word
Dry gin, Green Chartreuse, Maraschino cherry liqueur, Lime juice
Discover this harmonious mix of gin and vermouth
Vancouver
Dry gin, DOM Benedictine, Red vermouth, White vermouth, Orange bitters
Discover this aromatic gin and mint cooler
Southside
Dry gin, Lime juice, Sugar / simple syrup, Mint leaves
Discover this vibrant blend of grapefruit and gin
Old Friend
Dry gin, Aperol, Elderflower liqueur, Pink grapefruit juice
Create a cocktail
Choose a theme and some ingredients, give us some description and we'll create an amazing cocktail for you.
Register as a Premium Make Me a Cocktail community member and get access to an even more powerful creator.
Start creatingBuild your bar
Tell us what you have at home and we’ll find a delicious cocktail for you to make right now.
Register as a Make Me a Cocktail community member and we’ll save your ingredients list so you can come back to it at any time.
Create My Bar
Cocktail Colin
Your cocktail expert
Hi! I'm Cocktail Colin
Ask me anything about this cocktail - how to make it, substitutions, variations, or any other questions!
Become a member to access Cocktail Colin
Become a member (for free) to pick Cocktail Colin's cocktail filled brain on everything on this cocktail, from substitutions, if you can use what you have, to serving suggestions and more.
Become a member
Comments