Leap Year Cocktail Recipe

Updated: July 9, 2025 by Mariah. Published: December 28, 2020.

The Leap Year Cocktail Recipe was popular for celebrations and proposals at the Savoy Hotel, where it was invented by Harry Craddock on February 29th, 1928. Deliciously citrusy with notes of orange and lemon coming through over a splash of gin across the palate. This cocktail is worthy of a New Year’s celebration every year, not just on Leap Years.

Leap year cocktail recipe feature

The original recipe calls for 1 dash lemon juice, 2/3 gin, 1/6 Grand Marnier, 1/6 Italian Vermouth. Making this cocktail yielded a very small amount which barely filled half a cocktail glass. I ended up doubling and slightly adjusting proportion to be easier to measure out for most home bartenders.

The Savoy Hotel claims this cocktail to have been responsible for more proposals than any other cocktail mixed. Well, go on then. Make me an offer I can’t refuse!

Michael Kahn

Leap Year Cocktail

5 from 3 votes
Perfect for any New Year celebration, the Leap Year Cocktail was created by Harry Craddock on February 29, 1928. This cocktail was known as being THE cocktail for a proposal. ✨🥂
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings: 1 cocktail
Course: Cocktail
Cuisine: British
Calories: 156

Ingredients
 
 

  • 2 dashes Lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 oz Gin Dry gin preferred
  • 1/2 oz Grand Marnier Cointreau can be subbed
  • 1/2 oz Sweet Vermouth Cocchi preferred
  • 1 piece Lemon peel

Equipment

Method
 

  1. Add lemon juice, gin, Grand Marnier, and sweet vermouth to a shaker. Add ice and shake vigorously.
  2. Strain into a cocktail glass. Squeeze lemon peel on top.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cocktailCalories: 156kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 2mgFiber: 1gSugar: 5gVitamin C: 8mg

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Leap year cocktail recipe
5 from 3 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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