This poem about the delicious Shopaholic cocktail appears in Cocktails & Kicktails by Hugh Stewart which was published on 1st November, 2021.

There is something about Shopaholic
A therapy rooted in retail
The mixture is soon hypergolic
Don’t focus too much on the detail

There is something about Shopaholic
A combustible glass full of shopping
With swirly Campari
It’s a drinker’s safari
The taste is delicious and whopping.

By Hugh Stewart

The drink was inspired by Hugh’s visit to the Lansdowne Club which was once the home of Harry Gordon Selfridge, the founder of the London-based department store Selfridges.

Wondering about hypergolic? It is something that ignites spontaneously on mixing with another substance – as in rocket fuel.

Shopaholic Ingredients

4 parts gin, 1 part dry vermouth, 1 part Cointreau, 0.5 part Campari

Shopaholic Mixing Method:

  • Mix the gin, vermouth and Cointreau in a cocktail shaker to cool and pour into glasses
  • Delicately feed enough Campari to add colour and maybe add an olive
  • Repeat therapy as required