The 20th Century is a cocktail created in 1937 by a British bartender named C.A. Tuck, and named in honor of the celebrated 20th Century Limited train which ran between New York City and Chicago from 1902 until 1967. The recipe was first published in 1937 in the Café Royal Cocktail Book by William J Tarling, President of the United Kingdom Bartenders' Guild and head bartender at the Café Royal.
First appearance in Café Royal Cocktail Book published in 1937 by William J. Tarling
The cocktail was created 1884 in honor of the musical Adonis running for more than 500 shows on Broadway.
According to the writer María Ángeles Arazo in her book Valencia Noche, the Café Madrid de Valencia was frequented at that time by a group of Basque travellers that used to order "Agua de Bilbao" (Spanish, "Water of Bilbao"), referring to the bar's best cava. Tired of always ordering the same thing, they challenged the owner to offer them something new and he suggested that they try the "Agua de Valencia". They agreed to try what Gil made, and liking it, they continued to drink it in later visits.
For a decade the drink was known only to a small group of clients and it was not until the 1970s that it started to become known in the wider Valencian nightlife. Since then, it has grown to be a very popular drink.
Constante Gil left the bar in 2000, and dedicated himself to painting "Tertulias de Café" (Spanish, "social gatherings of the café"), an homage to his experiences there. Gil died of a heart attack on 7 June 2009 in Valencia, Spain.
References to the Alabama Slammer appear as early as Playboy Bartender's Guide by Thomas Mario in 1971.
ALABAMA SLAMMER 1 oz. Southern Comfort, ½ oz. sloe gin, 1 oz. amaretto, ½ oz. orange juice. Pour into highball glass over rocks. Stir.
There are many rumours about its origins. Some sources say it was created at the time of the London wedding of Princess Mary and Viscount Lascelles in 1922. Drama critic and Algonquin Round Table member Alexander Woollcott said it was named after him. Other sources say it was named after the Russian tsar Alexander II.
The drink was possibly named after Troy Alexander, a bartender at Rector's, a New York City restaurant, who created the drink in order to serve a white drink at a dinner celebrating Phoebe Snow, a character in a popular advertising campaign in the early 20th century.
The cocktail is known to have been John Lennon's favorite drink. He was introduced to it on 12 March 1974, by Harry Nilsson, on Lennon's so-called "lost weekend". The pair began heckling the Smothers Brothers, and whilst being ejected Lennon allegedly assaulted a waitress. Lennon later said the drinks "tasted like milkshakes".
First appearance in Beachbum Berry's Grog Log published in 1998 by Jeff "Beachbum" Berry
First appearance in The Savoy Cocktail Book published in 1930 by Harry Craddock