Cocktail & Other Recipes Preparation Style Shaken

Alabama Slammer

alabama slammer cocktail with orange garnish and green background

Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

The Alabama Slammer might be the most ’70s of all the bright and fruity 1970s cocktails. Its base blend of amaretto, sloe gin and Southern Comfort stands in total defiance of what one would expect from a staunch Southern sipper.

The Alabama Slammer is one of those drinks that, on paper, confuses. Southern Comfort (or SoCo, if you prefer) is a whiskey-based liqueur with notes of fruit and spice. Sloe gin is made from small, tart berries that grow wild in England, and amaretto is the sweet and nutty liqueur best known for its starring role in the Amaretto Sour. Those disparate ingredients are brought into alignment with the citrusy bite of orange juice and some welcome dilution that occurs when you shake everything together. (For the best results, squeeze a couple oranges for a fresher, better-tasting drink.)

Said to have been born at the University of Alabama, the Slammer is a go-to at Crimson Tide tailgates, where it’s often served as a shot. And slamming one back certainly gets the point across. The nutty, herbal notes, backed by baking spices and citrus, come through loud and clear.

But to truly appreciate the unique blend of ingredients that comprise the Alabama Slammer, shake the ingredients with plenty of ice and serve the drink in a tall glass. The flavors will loosen and unfold at a leisurely pace, leaving you with a mellower, more Southern-tasting drink.

After an impressive run through the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s, the Alabama Slammer has lost some of its appeal. But it remains a popular drink in parts of its home state and continues to find eager patrons at college bars across the country who appreciate its fruity flavor and heady effects. See what all the fuss is about by mixing one for yourself. At the least, it’s a lesson in synergy and a reminder that even the most discordant components can form a tasty, refreshing drink.

Ingredients

  • 1 ounce Southern Comfort

  • 1 ounce sloe gin

  • 1 ounce amaretto liqueur

  • 2 ounces orange juice, freshly squeezed

  • Garnish: orange wedge

Steps

  1. Add Southern Comfort, sloe gin, amaretto and orange juice to a shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled.

  2. Strain into a highball glass over fresh ice. Or, if serving as a shot, divide among shot glasses.

  3. Garnish with an orange wedge.