Diplomat Cocktail: Easy Dry and Sweet Vermouth Recipe
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Although the Diplomat has been tantalizing taste buds since 1922, we weren’t familiar with this particular cocktail until a reader who’s also a dear friend brought it to our attention. Thanks, Kevin!
That liaison (i.e., email) was the impetus we needed to discover and master the Diplomat cocktail. Well, that and a few bottles of liquor.
🍸 This Recipe at a Glance
- Base: Dry and sweet vermouth
- Ratio: 1:1, plus ½ ounce maraschino liqueur
- Glass: Coupe
- Method: Stirred and strained
- Garnish: Orange twist or maraschino cherry
- Time: 5 minutes
- Strength: Low, about 15% ABV after stirring
- Calories: 146
- Flavor: Herbal and gently bittersweet with a hint of cherry
- Best for: Pre-dinner sipping
What Is the Diplomat Cocktail?
Technically a ‘shim’ due to its low-alcohol content and omission of hard liquor, the Diplomat is a sophisticated sipper. The cocktail combines both dry and sweet vermouth and adds splashes of maraschino liqueur and Angostura bitters for good measure.
It’s also a truly international cocktail. Originally crafted in London, the Diplomat sports a Belgian inventor and includes ingredients hailing from Italy as well as Trinidad and Tobago
History of the Diplomat Cocktail
While the Diplomat sounds like a cocktail with an exciting past involving espionage and intrigue, its history isn’t a mystery. In reality, it’s quite mundane.
Our research traces the Diplomat back to bartender Robert Vermeire, who included it in his iconic 1922 book Cocktails: How to Mix Them. Originally spelled ‘Diplomate’ due to its purported popularity within the French Diplomatic Service, Vermeire’s version included a 2:1 ratio of dry and sweet vermouth plus a splash of maraschino liqueur.
The Diplomat recipe evolved over the years to include a 1:1 dry/sweet vermouth ratio. At some point, Angostura bitters negotiated their way into the recipe too.
Ingredients
The ingredient list required to craft a Diplomat is both short and sweet:
Ingredient quantities are detailed in the printable recipe card below.
Despite its low alcohol content, the Diplomat recipe includes four alcoholic ingredients.
Dry and sweet vermouth, the Diplomat’s two primary ingredients, are both fortified wines infused with aromatic botanicals. Long associated with teetotalers and elderly aunts, vermouth has experienced a resurgence in popularity in European countries like Italy and Spain. It’s also a key ingredient in drinks like the Manhattan, Negroni and Boulevardier.
Discover more dry vermouth cocktails and more sweet vermouth cocktails.
While maraschino liqueur and bitters are supporting players in the Diplomat’s recipe, both balance the drink and are a must. We keep bottles of Luxardo maraschino and Angostura Bitters in our liquor cabinet for crafting cocktails like this one. They show up in quite a few recipes and never disappoint.
Discover more maraschino liqueur cocktails.
How to Craft a Diplomat Cocktail
The first step in this recipe is to measure the dry vermouth, sweet vermouth and maraschino liqueur. We use a Japanese jigger but any jigger will suffice. You can use a small angled measuring cup if you don’t have a jigger.
Pour the three liquids into a mixing glass or other vessel. We typically use the bottom of our Boston shaker since it’s airtight and easy to use.
Add a dash of Angostura bitters.
Add ice and mix until the liquors are combined and chilled.
Strain the stirred cocktail into a coupe glass. You can use a small martini glass or lowball glass instead if you don’t have a coupe glass.
Garnish with an orange twist
Variations
You don’t need top secret information to create Diplomat variations. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
Discover 10 essential bar tools for the home mixologist.
Diplomat Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ ounces vermouth (dry)
- 1 ½ ounces vermouth (sweet)
- ½ ounce maraschino liqueur
- 1 dash Angostura bitters
- 1 orange peel (garnish)
- ice cubes (for stirring)
Instructions
- Pour dry vermouth, sweet vermouth, maraschino liqueur and bitters into a mixing glass.
- Add ice and stir until ingredients are mixed and chilled.
- Strain into a coupe glass.
- Garnish with an orange peel twist.
Notes
- Refrigerate vermouth after opening and use it within a month or two for the best flavor.
- You can use a martini glass or lowball glass if you don’t have a coupe glass.
- You can garnish with a maraschino cherry instead of an orange twist.
Nutrition
💡 Frequently Asked Questions
The Diplomat is a stirred classic made with equal parts dry and sweet vermouth plus a splash of maraschino liqueur and a dash of Angostura bitters. Since it’s a low-alcohol shim, this cocktail is much lighter than a Manhattan or Martini.
You need 1½ ounces dry vermouth, 1½ ounces sweet vermouth, ½ ounce maraschino liqueur, 1 dash Angostura bitters and an orange twist or maraschino cherry for garnish. You also need ice for stirring.
Belgian bartender Robert Vermeire published the Diplomat in his 1922 book Cocktails: How to Mix Them. His version used two parts dry vermouth to one part sweet vermouth.
The Diplomat is stirred, not shaken. It has no juice, so stirring keeps it clear and silky.
Our version is about 15% ABV after stirring with ice. That’s roughly half the strength of a Manhattan.
Our version is about 15% ABV after stirring with ice. That’s roughly half the strength of a Manhattan.
Martini & Rossi is both affordable and easy to find. Dolin is another affordable option, while Cocchi Vermouth di Torino or Carpano Antica Formula will give you a richer sweet side. Whichever brand you buy, refrigerate both bottles after opening.
Both split the vermouth between dry and sweet. The Perfect Manhattan adds whiskey, while the Diplomat skips hard liquor entirely and adds maraschino liqueur instead.
Our recipe has about 146 calories per drink.
We serve the Diplomat in a coupe. A small martini glass or rocks glass also works.
🍸 More Maraschino Liqueur Cocktails
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⚙️ Disclosures
Article Updates
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Funding
We purchased the ingredients and tools used to craft this cocktail.
