Here at Spearhead, we don’t shy from reinventing the classics. We doth our caps to the traditions and recipes that have served us well, keeping exactly what we want, and reinventing the rest. When it comes to whisky cocktails, that story is no different. We do things differently when it comes toour Serves.
Read on, and learn about the history of the iconic Clover Club cocktail and how it inspired us to create the Spear Club Serve. Fruity, light and delicate are not typically words associated with whisky, never mind whisky cocktails. But you knowwe’ve never been sticklers for rules.
How did the Clover Club cocktail get its name?
The Clover Club is a classic gin cocktail that was popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It even predates prohibition. It’s a type of sours cocktail, made with gin, vermouth, raspberry syrup or grenadine, lemon juice, and egg white. The drink is named after the Clover Club, a men's social club in Philadelphia that was popular at the time.
Born out of the grand lounge in the Bellevue-Stratford Hotel, the Clover Club becamethe drink to raise a glass with. Think lawyers, bankers, writers: anyone who was anyone would be toasting success with a Clover Club.
Before long, the pink drink spread across the major cities in America’s northeast, and the unusual cocktail became the drink of choice in notable hotels like the Plaza and beyond.
A drink for “pansies”
When the 1930s rolled around, the Clover Club was dubbed as a “drink for pansies” by Esquire magazine. The men in the leather chairs of sophisticated hotels throughout America turned instead to ‘stirred down and brown’ whisky drinks like the Old Fashioned or the classic vodka Martini. Perhaps this is why we feel so strongly about creating serves that swerve the traditional whisky rulebook today. Whisky can and should be enjoyed exactly as you like it.
Why is Spearhead so perfect for mixing and making cocktails? Our continuous copper still gives our single-grain whisky a lighter flavour than you’d expect. No harsh burn here. Only the finishing flavour of sweet brown sugar and vanilla fudge. Cut with a touch of red apple and lime, too.
Speaking of lighter notes, you should know that the Clover Club gained popularity again in the mid noughties after being featured in, you guessed it,Esquire magazine. Today, it’s a firm favourite across classic cocktail menus. And its enduring and tenacious spirit has inspired us to create our own Spearhead twist.
How to make the Spear Club
You’ve got the history down and now you want to try this velvety refreshing whisky cocktail for yourself. The first thing you’ll need is a bottle of our beloved Spearhead, of course.
Once you’ve got your hands on the good stuff,head to our Serves section for the full recipe and method. With just a handful of ingredients and any level cocktail experience, we’re confident you can mix up this reimagined classic in no time.
Oh, and once you’ve made a batch to shout about,why not tag us and share with the Spearhead community?
