🍊 Minneola Tangelo Bronx Cocktail: A Zesty Twist on a Classic

The Minneola Tangelo Bronx Cocktail captures the vibrancy of early 20th-century New York with a burst of modern citrus charm. Inspired by the original Bronx Cocktail, this version swaps traditional orange juice for bright, tangy Minneola tangelo juice, giving the drink a sunlit freshness and a touch of Florida flair. It’s elegant but lively, much like the city that gave the original its name.

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✨ What Makes the Cocktail Unique?

The Bronx Cocktail is one of those early classics that blends gin and vermouth with a kiss of fresh citrus. By using Minneola tangelo juice, this version takes that gentle orange sweetness and adds a sharper, more fragrant profile. The Minneola variety, a hybrid of tangerine and grapefruit, introduces a perfect balance of sweetness and lift. The result is refreshing and bright, with a citrus bouquet that plays beautifully with gin’s botanical edge.

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📖 Recipe

Servings: 1
Time: Under 3 minutes
Difficulty: Blissfully Simple

🍹 Ingredients

• 1.5 oz gin
• 0.5 oz sweet vermouth
• 0.5 oz dry vermouth
• 1 oz fresh Minneola tangelo juice
• Ice cubes
• Tangelo peel (for garnish)

🥂 Preparation Steps

1. Fill a shaker with ice.
2. Add gin, sweet vermouth, dry vermouth, and Minneola tangelo juice.
3. Shake until well chilled.
4. Strain into a chilled coupe or cocktail glass.
5. Garnish with a twist of tangelo peel for a fragrant finish.

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🍋 Variations & Tips

• Replace gin with vodka for a softer citrus-forward variation.
• Try a dash of orange bitters for complexity.
• For a brunch-friendly version, top it with sparkling wine to create a light tangelo mimosa.
• Fresh juice is essential. Store-bought versions lose the oil-rich aroma that gives the cocktail its personality.

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🌇 Perfect Setting

This cocktail shines wherever sunlight meets sophistication. It’s ideal for weekend brunches, garden gatherings, or rooftop evenings with good conversation and orange skies. The Minneola Tangelo Bronx bridges classic old-world flair with modern brightness. Lift your glass and taste the harmony of history and sunshine in one sip. Cheers!

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📜 From Jazz Age Glamour to Citrus Sunshine

The Bronx Cocktail emerged in the early 1900s, joining the ranks of Manhattan and Martini as a symbol of New York’s cocktail renaissance. Credited to bartender Johnnie Solon at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, it became one of the first drinks to mix gin and vermouth with orange juice. At a time when cocktails were largely spirit-forward, the Bronx offered something lighter and more playful, mirroring the city’s jazz and art deco vibrancy.

The Minneola Tangelo itself didn’t enter the picture until the 1930s when Florida growers developed this hybrid fruit. Its bright, perfumed zest made it a favorite among bartenders looking for unique seasonal twists. Combining the Bronx’s metropolitan charm with tangelo’s tropical sweetness creates a cocktail that bridges eras. It’s both nostalgic and new, a toast to the creative spirits of both the Waldorf bar and the citrus orchards of Florida.

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Image by Reese Lloyd.

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