Hercules

Here’s what we know about Hercules: in the late 1920s, a London firm called E & F Newall sold a variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic products featuring yerba mate, the alleged health benefits of which the firm was singularly dedicated to promoting. Amongst the alcoholic products were two “aperitif wines”: Hercules and Matruby (or Ruby Mate). The former was variously listed at 25% abv and 42% abv (perhaps a typo). An ad for Hercules appeared in Harry McElhone’s Harry’s ABC of Mixing Cocktail. Other ads appeared in the The Times. Subsequently, a number of Martini-esque/Manhattan-esque drink recipes appeared in the Savoy, all calling for Hercules as the wine component. And thereafter the trail goes cold. We also know that, at some point—dates unknown—a Dutch firm was also selling a “blood-reinforcing” quinquina (“kina wijn”) also named Hercules. (Research by Erik Ellestad, c. 2012). The details seem to be lost to time, but you can consult the Internet for speculative recipes to re-create it. Technically, quinquina is ad hoc generic for sweetened fortified aperitif wines containing quinine (thus “quinquina”) and spices. The major brands are: Bonal, Byrrh, Dubonnet, Lillet, and St. Raphael. The quinine is the bitter constituent which promotes production of digestive enzymes and, therefore, appetite. Most quinquinas are produced from mistelle (fortified grape juice) rather than actual fermented wine. Quinquinas are similar to vermouths, but emphasize other botanicals. Quinquina products tend to be idiosyncratic and they don’t really substitute for each other in mixed drinks—a substitution might produce a palatable drink, but it will probably be a completely different drink. In mixed drinks, the fact is that, in historic mixed drink recipes, “quinquina” meant Dubonnet (the red stuff), period. If another product was intended, it would be specified by name.