Angelo Azzurro Cocktail: the Italian blue cocktail recipe

Angelo Azzurro (Blue Angel) is a cocktail born in the 1990's and very famous in Italy. It is a long drink very requested by young people in clubs, even though it is one of the most alcoholic cocktails, it has about 35° vol. The origin of its name is uncertain, in part it is due to the power this cocktail has to make people lose lucidity, and so to "fly". On the other hand, the name is linked to its blue color made by mixing the two main ingredients with Blue Curaçao, a bitter orange liqueur of Caribbean origin. The base of this long drink is usually made of Gin, with the addition of Triple sec or Cointreau and Blue Curaçao, which gives the typical color to this particular drink.

Angelo Azzurro History

Actually there is no real history about Angelo Azzurro cocktail, one of the most believed theory is that the cocktail is a variant of Blue Lagoon, a drink born in Italy between the 1950's and the 1960's, even though for many it is a homage to the homonymous movie of Marlene Dietrich of 1930. For others, Angelo Azzurro refers to one of the names given to Ken Shiro, a famous Japanese cartoon character of the eighties.

How to make Angelo Azzurro

Pour the Gin, Cointreau and Blue Curaçao into a shaker with ice, shake well and serve immediately in a previously chilled Martini glass.

Garnish with a cherry or orange slice, or serve on the rocks in a low tumbler like the old fashioned, with ice.

Tips

You can also prepare Angelo Azzurro directly in the tumbler with 3 or 4 ice cubes: add the three ingredients one at a time, stir with a long spoon, like the bar spoon used by bartenders, and serve well chilled.

You can prepare Angelo Azzurro by replacing gin with vodka, light rum or limoncello. The important thing is never to replace Blue Curaçao which gives the cocktail its particular color.