Cloister Recipe

The cloister is a crisp, dry gin cocktail that tastes like it was invented before prohibition, sipped on in classy art nouveau hotel bars but in fact, its earliest publication was in the 1971 playboy bartenders guide by thomas mario. These days, you may find it served at pdt in new york, with just a touch of simple syrup added a clever trick that better melds the gin, citrus, and herbal flavors. Leave the aged, botanical, and other specialty gins on the shelf for this one; the cloister requires a sharp, bracing london dry like beefeater or tanqueray.