FOOD NEWS
The Bizzy Izzy Highball Is A Century-Old Cocktail Filled With Secrets
BY LISA CURRAN MATTE
Despite its buzz-worthy name, the Bizzy Izzy cocktail has been under the radar since its creation, partly because its original recipe was rather enigmatic.
The Bizzy Izzy first appeared in Tom Bullock’s 1917 book “The Ideal Bartender.” Today, the book remains a go-to cocktail resource, thanks to Bullock's strange launch into fame.
Bullock’s reputation as a bartender started building up when a newspaper reported that President Theodore Roosevelt was particularly fond of Bullock’s handiwork.
Roosevelt ended up suing the newspaper for libel, and while the courts sided with him, the publicity surrounding the event launched Bollock into bartending stardom.
However, the Bizzy Izzy remained unnoticed in comparison to Bullock. His recipe called for whiskey, sherry, pineapple syrup, and lemon juice, but lacked any instructions.
It wasn’t until 2009 that the cocktail got a second chance at the hands of veteran bartender Al Sotak, who riffed on Bullock’s cocktail to create a modern variation.
Sotak’s cocktail uses whiskey, sherry, and lemon juice, replaces the original pineapple syrup with pineapple juice, and incorporates Angostura bitters and a bit of seltzer.
Sotak shakes the cocktail and garnishes it with a lemon wheel. He describes the drink as “a wonderful cocktail, but it also strikes me as a fairly modern cocktail.”