Before I tell you the story, for anyone who wants to recreate it at home I've put together a ready-to-shop list with all the exact ingredients you need. Now, onto the legend.
The Paradise is another of Harry Craddock's "florilegium" cocktails codified in the iconic 1930 Savoy Cocktail Book, and was already in circulation in London in the 1920s. The name captures the elegance of the drink: a combination of gin, apricot brandy and orange juice, described by Craddock as "paradise in a glass," with a soft and fragrant profile that made it one of the most requested cocktails at the Savoy's American Bar.
Its lineage includes some of the most exclusive clientele of interwar London, from aristocrats in exile to early film stars. For decades it slipped out of fashion, but the craft cocktail revival brought it back as a small floral jewel, a paradise still worth rediscovering for those who love drinks with golden color and apricot-scented summer.
Beyond the ingredients, what makes a home cocktail truly memorable is the gear. A proper barman kit like this one on Amazon gives you the shaker, jigger, strainer and bar spoon you need to treat every guest like a regular at a legendary bar. And if you love entertaining, upgrading to a full professional cocktail bar station turns your kitchen corner into a real, organized bar where bottles stand ready and nothing is out of place.