I was required to take a physical education class in college. It didn’t take long for me to peruse the course catalog and decide that fencing was the sport for me. After all, as a theater major, who knew when I might need those mad fencing skills on stage. Unfortunately, my fencing career was brief. Had I known then about this fabulous cocktail named after fencing Olympian Lucien Gaudin, I’m sure I would have excelled at the sport. Or passed out on the mat.
Lucien Gaudin was a French fencer who competed in the 1920, 1924, and 1928 Olympics. He received gold medals in foil individual and in epee individual in the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam. In 1924 he claimed the gold in foil team and in epee team at the Paris Summer Olympics.
Someone, somewhere, decided these achievements deserved a cocktail. We agree.
Lucien Gaudin Cocktail
1 oz gin
1/2 oz Cointreau
1/2 oz Campari
1/2 oz dry vermouth
Stir in a mixing glass with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with an orange twist.
The gin and Campari make this cocktail very similar to a Negroni (one of my favorites). I like the twist the Cointreau and the dry vermouth provide. The initial taste is the sweetness of the Cointreau but it very quickly blends with the Campari to present a bitter orange rind flavor. The shines on the back end.
While I may not pick up my foil anytime soon, I will definitely be lifting this cocktail frequently, saluting Lucien and his many gold medals.
Next up: La Floridita Daiquiri
Our Libatious Nature 
En gard! I love how you described the cocktail’s taste. It’s nice to know the flavors before going out and spending money on cocktail ingredients I may or may not like.
Fab post!