Episode 132: The Angel Face

Mar 16

Ep 132 The Angle Face Cocktail: Apple & Ancestry

Welcome to Season 8 episode 132 of The Art of Drinking with Join Jules and Your Favorite Uncle

In this episode of The Art of Drinking, Uncle Brad and Jules explore the elegant and often overlooked Angel Face cocktail, a sophisticated classic cocktail built around one of France’s most distinctive spirits: Calvados apple brandy.

Uncle Brad walks listeners through the traditional Angel Face recipe, a simple but powerful combination of gin, Calvados, and apricot liqueur that delivers rich orchard fruit flavors balanced with botanical complexity. While the ingredient list is short, the drink reveals surprising depth thanks to the character of Calvados.

Along the way, the episode dives into the fascinating history of Calvados, the legendary Normandy apple brandy that has been produced for centuries. Brad and Jules explore how the spirit developed from the region’s abundant apple orchards and agricultural traditions, and how it eventually became a cornerstone of French distilling.

The conversation also traces the cultural history of Normandy, including its Viking roots, and examines how the region’s heritage shaped its culinary and beverage traditions. The episode wraps with a deeper appreciation for why the Angel Face remains one of the most underrated classic cocktails in bartending.

Whether you're curious about Calvados cocktails, exploring apple brandy drinks, or looking to discover a forgotten classic, this episode blends cocktail history, French spirits education, and timeless recipes.

In this episode:

How to make a classic Angel Face cocktail
The history and production of Calvados apple brandy
The agricultural traditions of Normandy
The region’s surprising Viking heritage
Why the Angel Face deserves a comeback on modern cocktail menus

Perfect for fans of classic cocktails, Calvados drinks, apple brandy cocktails, and French spirits.

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The History of the Angel Face Cocktail

The Angel Face is a classic cocktail that first appeared in the 1930 cocktail book The Savoy Cocktail Book, written by legendary bartender Harry Craddock of London’s The Savoy Hotel.

Unlike many cocktails of the era, the Angel Face contains no citrus or sweeteners, relying entirely on the interplay between gin, apricot liqueur, and Calvados for balance. This structure allows the apple brandy to shine, giving the drink its distinctive orchard fruit character.

The cocktail’s name is often thought to reference the 1928 film Angel Face, though the exact origin of the name remains uncertain. Like many drinks from the Savoy era, it reflects a period when bartenders were experimenting with European spirits and creating elegant, spirit-forward cocktails.

Today, the Angel Face is appreciated by cocktail enthusiasts for its refined simplicity and as one of the few classic drinks that prominently showcases Calvados, the historic apple brandy of Normandy.

This weeks tip section will be dedicated to answering YOUR questions