Perfect Lady Cocktail Recipe

WRITTEN BY: SCOTT VAN DORT

The Perfect Lady is a Gin-based classic cocktail known for its smooth blend of Citrus and Peach flavors.

“It’s one of my favorite drinks just because of the pure deliciousness of it,” says Ricardo ‘Rico’ Dynan, Bartender and Absolut Global Brand Ambassador.

“Like a peachy little cloud, you’ve got floral notes coming from the Beefeater (Gin), balanced out perfectly with the Citrus and the Crème de Pêche (Peach Liqueur). There’s no better drink just to sip and enjoy on a summer day,” he says.

Truth be told, whether it’s summer or winter, you can never go wrong with a Perfect Lady.

How To Make a Perfect Lady Cocktail

“No one I have ever given this to has turned it down or said they didn’t like it. It’s a great drink,” shares Rico.

What You’ll Need

• Jigger or Measuring Instrument 
• Boston Shaker
• Nick & Nora Glass or Cocktail Glass
• Citrus Elbow
• Hawthorne Strainer
• Paring Knife

How to Mix

1. Use a Paring Knife to cut one Lemon in half. 
2. Using a Citrus Elbow, juice the Lemon half and save the other half for garnishing later.
3. Using a Jigger, measure and pour the Lemon Juice into the smaller tin of a Boston Shaker.
4. Measure and pour Simple Syrup into the Shaker.
5. Measure and pour Crème de Pêche into the Shaker, followed by Beefeater Gin.
6. Crack an Egg and separate the Egg Whites from the Yolk, then pour the Egg Whites into the Shaker.
7. Fill the Shaker with Ice Cubes and shake until chilled.
8. Place a Hawthorne Strainer over the Cocktail Shaker to strain out the Ice.
9. Shake again, this time without ice and pour the mixture directly into either a Nick & Nora Glass (or Cocktail Glass).
10. Use a Knife to cut a coin-shaped disc of Lemon Zest, squeeze the oils over the drink and then place the Lemon Zest disc into the Glass as a garnish.
11. Sip and enjoy!

 The History of the Perfect Lady Cocktail  

The Perfect Lady cocktail was invented by a bartender in London, UK, for The British Empire Cocktail Competition in 1936 where it won first place. 

It’s a twist on the White Lady cocktail, originally invented in London in 1919, though the version we know today was crafted in 1929. In fact, the Perfect Lady is very similar to the White Lady except the former uses Crème de Pêche while the latter uses Triple Sec.

In recent years, the Perfect Lady cocktail has seen a revival and grown in popularity.

Tips for Making the Best Perfect Lady cocktail

• Add the Egg Whites last
  As Rico advises, whenever you’re using Lemon Juice and Egg Whites in your drinks, always add the Egg White to your shaker last. “You want to start shaking before the Egg starts cooking,” he says. If you let the Egg White sit in the Lemon Juice, it will begin to coagulate. 
• Reverse Dry Shake
  Rico prefers using a reverse dry shake when making drinks with Egg Whites to achieve that wonderful frothy, velvety texture. 

  This technique involves first shaking the cocktail ingredients with ice, then straining out the ice and shaking again without ice.
  
  

• Always Use Fresh Lemon Juice
  We can’t overemphasize the importance of juicing your own Lemons instead of using store-bought bottled Lemon Juice. If you want your drinks to taste like the ones you get at a bar, you really need to make your own Lemon Juice. 
• Best Quality Liqueur
  As Rico shares in the video, “Try to buy the best quality Liqueurs you can because they will have more of a ‘true-to-the-fruit’ flavor.” 

  The better the quality of the ingredients, the better your drink will be—it’s that simple. 

• Use your favorite Gin
  Like the previous point, if you have a favorite Gin, use it when making your Perfect Lady. Taste is personal and your drink is your drink. 

  “Beefeater Gin is one of my preferred (Gins),” says Rico but, of course, use the one you like best.

Variations of a Perfect Lady Cocktail

• Peachy Lady
  Can you make a Vodka version of the Perfect Lady? Yes, you can…and Rico has. Introducing the Peachy Lady.
  
  As Rico explains, this is, in fact, a Peach Vodka Sour. To make it, Rico uses Absolut Peach, one of his personal favorite Flavored Vodkas, instead of Gin and, because it’s a Peach-Flavored Vodka, he omits the Crème de Pêche (Peach Liqueur). He then garnishes the Peachy Lady with Fresh Peach Wedge instead of Lemon Zest.

  “It’s deliciously peachy,” says Rico and, although it’s missing the floral Gin notes of the original, it amps up the Peach flavors to 11. If you love Peach, this is your drink. Here’s how to make a Peachy Lady.

• Add Absinthe
  Some recipes add ⅓ part Absinthe and skip the Egg Whites altogether. For this Perfect Lady variation, we recommend the following measurements:
  
  1 Part Gin

  ½ Parts Lemon Juice

  ½ Parts Peach Liqueur

  ⅓ Parts Absinthe

  Fill a Shaker with Ice Cubes, measure and pour in each ingredient, then shake and strain into a Glass.

Serving and Garnish Ideas for a Perfect Lady Cocktail

The Perfect Lady is a perfect pre-dinner drink, and we recommend serving it in a Nick & Nora Glass. A Cocktail Glass will work just as well too. 

Unsure what glassware to use? Read our article on the different types of glassware used for making cocktails.

For garnish, Rico cuts a coin-shaped disc of Lemon Zest, squeezes the oils over the drink, and then places the zest into the glass. 

It’s always nice to garnish your drink with something that visualizes the flavor of the drink. In this case, since the Perfect Lady features Lemon Juice, garnishing it with Lemon Zest combines the visual appeal with the taste of the cocktail.