Blackthorn No. 3
Blackthorn No. 3 is 45ml of Irish whiskey, 45ml of dry vermouth, 2 dashes of absinthe and 2 dashes of Boker’s-style bitters, stirred, fine strained into a coupe that has been chilled, and finished with a lemon twist. Near 2.6 UK units, with the whiskey at 40% ABV and the vermouth at 18%. Difford’s Guide traces the whiskey Blackthorn to Harry Johnson’s 1900 Bartender’s Manual. William Boothby numbered it three in the 1930 edition of The World’s Drinks And How To Mix Them. This is the Irish whiskey Blackthorn. It is a different drink from the sloe gin Blackthorn, which has its own recipe.
Glassware: Coupe Glass
Garnish: Lemon twist expressed over the drink and used as the garnish
Ingredients
45ml
At 40% ABV. No brand is printed, and a smooth, fruity blend or single pot still suits.
2 dashes
Difford’s prints its own Boker’s-style bitters. Harry Johnson’s 1900 recipe names Boker’s.
Instructions
Chill a coupe and cut a lemon twist.
Add the Irish whiskey, dry vermouth, absinthe and bitters to a mixing glass.
Fill with ice and stir for 20 to 30 seconds.
Fine strain into the chilled coupe.
Express the lemon twist over the drink and use it as the garnish.
Source: Difford's Guide (recipe 240, measures, method and garnish as printed (45ml Irish whiskey, 45ml Strucchi dry vermouth, 2 dashes absinthe, 2 dashes Boker’s-style bitters, stirred, fine strained, coupe, lemon zest twist); Difford’s history prints Harry Johnson 1900 (equal Irish whiskey and French vermouth, absinthe, Boker’s) and Boothby 1930 (numbered No. 3)). Last checked 1 November 2026.
Expert Tip
Open a fresh bottle of dry vermouth, or one that has been in the fridge for a few weeks at most. A tired bottle makes this drink flat. Two dashes of absinthe is a seasoning. If you can taste it as aniseed first, cut back. Boker’s-style bitters are hard to find. Difford’s builds the drink on its own version, and a spiced aromatic bitters is the nearest you are likely to have.
Behind the Blackthorn No. 3
Flavour Profile
The whiskey Blackthorn, numbered three
Difford’s Guide says a whiskey-based Black Thorn first appears in Harry Johnson’s 1900 Bartender’s Manual. Johnson’s version used Irish whiskey, French vermouth, absinthe and Boker’s bitters, stirred with a spoon and strained into a wine glass.
The sloe gin Blackthorn appears in William Boothby’s 1908 book, per Difford’s. The whiskey version only joins Boothby’s book in the 1930 Swallows edition, as the third of four numbered variations, which is where the name Blackthorn No. 3 comes from.
Difford’s also records that Harry Craddock’s 1930 Savoy Cocktail Book prints the whiskey drink as the plain Blackthorn Cocktail and shakes it, and relegates the sloe gin drink to the back as number two.
How it differs from our Blackthorn
Our Blackthorn is the sloe gin drink: 50ml of sloe gin, 25ml of sweet vermouth and orange bitters. Blackthorn No. 3 has no gin, no sloe and no sweet vermouth. It is whiskey, dry vermouth, absinthe and bitters, and it is much drier.
Why it works
Irish whiskey is soft and fruity, and dry vermouth adds herbs and a lean acidity. Absinthe lifts the nose with aniseed. The bitters tie it together. Difford’s calls it dry and aromatic, whiskey’s answer to the Dry Martini.
Difford’s prints Strucchi dry vermouth. A fresh bottle matters, since dry vermouth is wine and fades after opening. See vermouth explained.
Blackthorn No. 3 beside three Blackthorns
Blackthorn No. 3
- Base
- 45ml Irish whiskey
- Vermouth
- 45ml dry
- Accent
- Absinthe, Boker’s-style bitters
- Source
- Johnson 1900; Boothby 1930
Blackthorn (ours)
- Base
- 50ml sloe gin
- Vermouth
- 25ml sweet
- Accent
- Orange bitters
- Source
- Sloe gin version
Blackthorn No. 1
- Base
- Sloe gin
- Vermouth
- Rosso and dry
- Accent
- Aromatic and orange bitters
- Source
- Difford’s
Blackthorn No. 5
- Base
- Gin and sloe gin
- Vermouth
- Dry
- Accent
- Lemon, syrup, aromatic bitters
- Source
- Difford’s
| Drink | Base | Vermouth | Accent | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blackthorn No. 3 | 45ml Irish whiskey | 45ml dry | Absinthe, Boker’s-style bitters | Johnson 1900; Boothby 1930 |
| Blackthorn (ours) | 50ml sloe gin | 25ml sweet | Orange bitters | Sloe gin version |
| Blackthorn No. 1 | Sloe gin | Rosso and dry | Aromatic and orange bitters | Difford’s |
| Blackthorn No. 5 | Gin and sloe gin | Dry | Lemon, syrup, aromatic bitters | Difford’s |
For another stirred, whiskey-led drink with vermouth, try the Manhattan.
Make it at home
The Spirit
Whiskey (Irish)Irish whiskey is whiskey distilled on the island of Ireland and aged there in wood for three years or longer, and bottled at no less than 40% ABV. The Irish Whiskey technical file names four types, pot still, malt, grain and blended, and the soft blends are what our nine Irish recipes mostly use. The Irish Whiskey technical file calls triple distillation the traditional practice, not a rule, and specifies unpeated malt only for pot still whiskey.
More to explore
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Blackthorn No. 3 the same as the Blackthorn?
Why is it called No. 3?
Who created Blackthorn No. 3?
How strong is Blackthorn No. 3?
Can I use sweet vermouth?
Is it stirred or shaken?
Can I make Blackthorn No. 3 in a batch?
Sources.
Correct as of 1 November 2026.
- Difford’s Guide, “Blackthorn No. 3” (recipe 240: 45ml Irish whiskey, 45ml dry vermouth, 2 dashes absinthe, 2 dashes Boker’s-style bitters, stirred, coupe, lemon twist; history from Johnson 1900, Boothby 1930 and the Savoy 1930; 2.6 units; the numbered Blackthorn family).
- NHS, “Calculating alcohol units” (the 14-units-a-week guidance and the units calculation).
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Where this one sits
Recipe by Jerry Can Spirits · Updated 1 November 2026