Top Misspellings on Cocktail Menus
August 30, 2010
I see certain words misspelled over and over on cocktail menus. Most of them are brand names in conflict with spellcheck.
- St. Germaine
- Liqueur vs. Liquor
- Domain de Canton
- Absolute Vodka
- Hanger One Vodka
- Caiparinha
- Lavendar
- Chartreuce
Nickt-pickers: what else am I missing?
Kettle One
Nit pickers
Posted by: Cocktail Geek | August 30, 2010 at 08:40 AM
Johnny Walker
Posted by: Jacki | August 30, 2010 at 08:58 AM
Not putting 'The' before The Glenlivet
Posted by: RPMcMurphy | August 30, 2010 at 10:29 AM
Do accent marks count? If so, there are many (eg, Vueux Carre vs Carré).
Posted by: Gabriel Rosenkoetter | August 30, 2010 at 11:40 AM
Once I saw "Geraldine" syrup on a menu.
Posted by: George Sinclair | August 30, 2010 at 12:33 PM
Apertif in lieu of aperitif--I'd bet the American pronunciation of the word caused it.
Posted by: Michael J. Bacon | August 30, 2010 at 12:42 PM
Zazerac
Tonny port
Posted by: Tradertiki | August 30, 2010 at 01:59 PM
Patrick Gavin Duffy's Official Mixer's Manual lists recipes for both the Sazerac and the Zazarac.
Posted by: Cocktail Geek | August 30, 2010 at 05:15 PM
I've seen quite a few misspellings on menus here in Serbia. Ok, Serbia is not an English-speaking "part of the world", but on the other hand, many cocktail/drink names aren't in English.
The most common misspelling is "expresso" instead of "espresso".
Posted by: Dejan /Lounge Area | August 31, 2010 at 03:00 AM
My fav ... spelling Manhattan, Manhatten ... and in the Big Apple of all places (gave them partial credit for getting the two t's)
Posted by: KeithP | August 31, 2010 at 05:38 AM
Lemoncello
Posted by: Steve Bohler | August 31, 2010 at 09:33 AM
geneva for genever comber for combier chartruse for chartreuse
Posted by: debbie | August 31, 2010 at 01:53 PM
What about Vueux instead of Vieux?
Posted by: Colin Gore | September 01, 2010 at 08:39 AM
Though more of a cheeky translation error rather than a misspelling, my favorite menu misrepresentation was in Budapest:
"Glassy Bears" to mean "Bottled Beers"
Posted by: Colin Gore | September 01, 2010 at 08:43 AM
Jamesons
Posted by: Todd Appel | September 01, 2010 at 11:36 AM
Fight fight fight!
Posted by: Dietsch | September 01, 2010 at 11:45 AM
I ALWAYS see Absolut spelled with an "e" on the end. I'm surprised that one didn't make your Top 10 List.
Posted by: Chris Patino | September 02, 2010 at 09:49 AM
I think if you look carefully you'll see it there as number four :)
Posted by: Camper English | September 02, 2010 at 09:55 AM
the hole-in-the-wall chineese food place by my house has had "rusty mail" on their menu for a decade.
Posted by: richard | September 03, 2010 at 07:06 AM
For Debbie, "geneva" is actually a British corruption that has been used for as long as the Brits have been drinking gin. I still see it around Belgium and the Netherlands, in fact.
My favourite in Canada is Bloody Ceasar, although without the drink's popularity Stateside, I'm sure it's a misspelling you see more on the food side of the menu.
By far the biggest misspelling on cocktail menus across North America, however, is anything ending in -tini. They don't seem to understand that it should be MARtini, and so you see mistakes like Chocolatini, Berrytini, Pomitini...
Posted by: Stephen Beaumont | September 03, 2010 at 08:09 AM
You spelled caipirinha wrong. I am Brazilian and I would know.
Posted by: Cristian | September 03, 2010 at 07:28 PM
Ilegal Mezcal. There is only 1 'l' as it is a Spanish word rather than an English one. There are plenty of double up mistakes in the media as well namely when they spell it: Illegal Mescal
Posted by: Steve | September 04, 2010 at 01:35 PM
I found "Compari" listed as an ingredient in a Negroni at last night's dinner.
Posted by: Stephanie | September 08, 2010 at 06:55 AM
If we expand this to "cocktail and beer menus," I've seen my share of misspellings of "Guinness."
Posted by: LLA | September 26, 2010 at 11:26 AM