Drink in History: Lucien Gaudin

A champion cocktail for an Olympic champion.

When it comes to cocktails named after athletes, the list is shorter than a fencer’s foil. But one drink that parries its way to the forefront is the Lucien Gaudin cocktail. This sophisticated mix of gin, Campari, Cointreau, and dry vermouth pays tribute to Lucien Gaudin, a legendary French fencer and Olympiad gold medalist. Gaudin earned his place in history with his skill and style—qualities this cocktail mirrors as well.

Lucien Gaudin: The Man Behind the Name

Born in 1886 in Arras, France, Lucien Gaudin rose to prominence in the world of fencing, a sport that epitomizes precision, strategy, and finesse. Gaudin’s most notable success came during the 1920 and 1928 Summer Olympics. In Antwerp 1920, he secured two silver medals in the team foil and team épée events. His crowning glory came in the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics, where he won gold medals in both individual foil and épée, along with a team gold in épée.

The Cocktail: A Tribute in a Glass.

The first known printed mention of the Lucien Gaudin cocktail appears in the 1929 book “Cocktails de Paris,” by RIP, a pseudonym for Georges Gabriel Thenon who was a French singer, entertainer, and overall social influencer. A prize for any cocktail book collection, “Cocktails de Paris” not only has a treasure trove of cocktail recipes, but is also illustrated by one of the world’s greatest poster artists, Paul Colin. Colin rose to fame for his 1925 poster for La Revue Nègre (a woman wearing only a skirt made of bananas); this eye-catching poster helped launch singer Josephine Baker’s career. “Cocktails de Paris” gives us a clue who might have invented the drink. At the bottom of the recipe, it credits Charlie, a bartender at the Le Cheval Pie (the Black and White Horse) restaurant in Paris. Legend has it Gaudin was a frequent guest at Le Cheval Pie. Perhaps good ol’ Charlie made him his own personal concoction. In the same year it first appeared in print, the fencer’s cocktail won the Honorary Cup at the Professional Bartenders Championship in Paris. A champion cocktail for a champion athlete, no doubt.

Lucien Gaudin Riffs

The Lucien Gaudin shares similarities with several classic cocktails that emphasize bittersweet and citrus notes, such as the Negroni. Another close relative is the Boulevardier, which swaps gin for bourbon, offering a richer, warmer twist on the Negroni’s composition. The Americano, combining Campari, sweet vermouth, and soda water, is a lighter, more refreshing option. Additionally, the Gloria, a lesser-known but intriguing mix of gin, dry vermouth, and a touch of absinthe, shares the Lucien Gaudin’s sophisticated complexity, offering a unique balance of herbal and bittersweet flavors. For a more modern twist, try the Fencer cocktail with gin, Cocchi Americano, Campari, grapefruit hop syrup, bitters, and a grapefruit twist (cocktail credit and recipe at PostProhibition.com).

Crafting the Lucien Gaudin Cocktail

On the heels of this summer’s Paris Olympics, this cocktail will keep the gold medal vibes alive. So, raise your glass and toast the fencing champion with a drink that’s as sharp as the man himself. When mixing up a Lucien Gaudin, try an herbal-forward gin like Revivalist, with ashwagandha and/or Vara High Desert with grapefruit and star anise notes. The drink also begs for experimentation with different bitter aperitifs, like St. George Bruto Americano or Contratto Bitter, and orange liqueurs such as Solerno Blood Orange.

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