Buck's Fizz

Champagne and orange juice in a 2:1 ratio — McGarry's 1921 Buck's Club creation, drier than the equal-parts Mimosa, the signature of Wimbledon and Royal Ascot.

Buck's Fizz was created at Buck's Club in Mayfair, London in 1921 by the club's barman Malachy McGarry, who combined champagne and fresh orange juice in a two-to-one ratio — two parts champagne to one part orange juice — that distinguished his preparation from the equal-parts Mimosa that would be developed independently in Paris around the same period. Buck's Club, located on Clifford Street in Mayfair, was founded in 1919 by Captain Herbert John Buckmaster as a private members' club for officers returning from the First World War, and quickly became one of London's most fashionable social institutions in the interwar period. The club's bar, where McGarry presided, developed a reputation for quality and elegance that made the Buck's Fizz one of the most replicated British brunch cocktails of the 20th century. The greater champagne proportion in the Buck's Fizz compared to the Mimosa produces a drier, more wine-forward drink in which the orange juice contributes freshness and acidity without overwhelming the champagne's yeast-derived complexity and effervescence. The drink became definitively associated with British summer celebrations — Wimbledon, Royal Ascot, garden parties, and wedding breakfasts — where its combination of moderate alcohol and festive sparkle suited extended outdoor celebrations.