Dubonnet
Dubonnet(UK:/djuːˈbɒneɪ/,US:/ˌdjuːbəˈneɪ/,[1][2]French:[dybɔnɛ]) is a sweet,aromatised wine-basedquinquina,often enjoyed as anaperitif.[3]It is a blend offortified wine,herbs, and spices (including a small amount ofquinine),[4]withfermentationbeing stopped by the addition of alcohol. It is currently produced in France byPernod Ricard,and in the United States byHeaven Hill DistilleriesofBardstown, Kentucky.The French made version is 14.8%alcohol by volumeand the US version 19%.[3]The beverage is famous in the UK for having been the favourite drink of QueenElizabeth IIandQueen Elizabeth The Queen Mother.[5]
In November 2021, Dubonnet was awarded aRoyal Warrantby Queen Elizabeth II.[6]
Ingredients[edit]
Four main ingredients are used:
- Red wine base: a blend of Ruby Red,Ruby CabernetandMuscat of Alexandriagrapes;
- Herbs and spices:blackcurrant,essence ofteavarietals, other ingredients;
- Cinchonabark: giving a dry tannin note
- Cane sugar:100%cane sugar.[7]
History[edit]
Dubonnet was first sold in 1846 by Joseph Dubonnet, in response to a competition run by theFrench Governmentto find a way of persuadingFrench Foreign LegionnairesinNorth Africato drinkquinine.[4]Quinine combatsmalariabut is very bitter.
Ownership was taken over byPernod Ricardin 1976. It was re-popularised in the late 1970s by an advertising campaign starringPia Zadora.It is available in Rouge, Blanc and Gold (vanillaand orange) varieties. Dubonnet is also widely known by the advertisement slogan of the Frenchgraphic designerCassandre"Dubo, Dubon, Dubonnet" (a play on words roughly meaning "It's nice; it's good; it's Dubonnet" ), which still can be found on the walls of houses inFrance.The brand later became owned byHeaven Hill.[3]
Dubonnet is commonly mixed withlemonadeorbitter lemon,and forms part of manycocktails.
Reputedly Dubonnet was a favourite beverage of:
- Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother,who likedginand Dubonnet: 30% gin, 70% Dubonnet with a slice of lemon under the ice. She once noted before a trip, "I think that I will take two small bottles of Dubonnet and gin with me this morning, in case it is needed."[8][9]
- Queen Elizabeth II,who liked 66% Dubonnet and 33% gin with two cubes of ice and a lemon slice before lunch every day.[10]
- Nelson Rockefeller,whose taste for alcohol was moderate, would have an occasional glass of Dubonneton the rocks.[11]
Cocktails[edit]
The following include Dubonnet as one of their ingredients:
- The Alfonso
- Apple Dubonnet
- Arnaud's Special (New Orleans)
- Bartender
- Bentley
- Blackthorn Cocktail
- Deshler
- Dot-Roy
- Dubonnet Cassis
- Dubonnet Cocktail
- Dubonnet Daniella
- Dubonnet Delight
- Dubonnet Fizz
- Dubonnet Helado
- Dubonnet Highball
- Dubonnet Kiss
- Dubonnet Manhattan
- Dubonnet Negroni
- Dubonnet Royal
- Dubonnet TT
- Jack London Martini
- Opera Cocktail
- Phoebe Snow[12]
- Red Moonlight
- Rum Dubonnet
- San Diego Cocktail
- Savoy Hotel Special
- Trois Rivieres
- Mummy Love
- Marble Hill
- Napoleon
- Karl-Gerhard
- Bossunova Belt
- Magic Juice
- The Queen Mother
- The Mexican
See also[edit]
- Gin and tonic,another drink invented to encourage European colonial soldiers in South Asian tropical climates to take quinine.
References[edit]
- ^Wells, John C.(2008).Longman Pronunciation Dictionary(3rd ed.). Longman.ISBN978-1-4058-8118-0.
- ^Jones, Daniel(2011).Roach, Peter;Setter, Jane;Esling, John(eds.).Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary(18th ed.). Cambridge University Press.ISBN978-0-521-15255-6.
- ^abcOfficial website
- ^abGeoghegan, Tom (July 20, 2009)."Who still drinks Dubonnet?".BBC News.RetrievedNovember 25,2011.
- ^"Make your own Queen Mother cocktail".The Guardian.February 1, 2013.
- ^"Queen Elizabeth has awarded a Royal Warrant to Dubonnet".MSN.
- ^"Dubonnet".www.doyoudubonnet.com.
- ^"Queen Mother 'pack gin' note sold".BBC News.BBC.July 5, 2008.RetrievedMay 1,2015.
- ^"Rare insight into Queen Mum's life as Backstairs Billy mementos sold".Hello!.July 3, 2008. Archived fromthe originalon September 22, 2012.RetrievedMay 1,2015.
- ^Alderson, Andrew (July 5, 2009)."Exclusive: behind the scenes with the Queen".The Daily Telegraph.London. Archived fromthe originalon July 8, 2009.RetrievedNovember 25,2011.
- ^Clines, Francis (August 20, 1974)."Always Wanted Presidency: Rocky Settles for Second".The Register-Guard.Eugene, Oregon.The New York Times.p. 12c.
- ^Playboy Host and Bar Book by Thomas Mario