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In classical cocktail terms, calling a drink “perfect” means it is built with equal parts sweet and dry vermouth. Nobody who named the Perfect Screw had that in mind. This is a Screwdriver with pear schnapps standing in for most of the vodka, and the name is doing exactly what you think it is doing.
What makes it funny is that the recipe quietly undercuts the boast. There is a quarter ounce of vodka in here against an ounce and a quarter of pear schnapps, then three ounces of orange juice poured over the top. The vodka is barely in the room. Pear does all the work, and it does it gently: rounder than citrus, sweeter than vodka, with none of the sharp edge a straight Screwdriver gives you. Whether a drink this well mannered has earned the name is a matter between you and your conscience.
Glass: Highball glass | Strength: Light | Serves: 1 | Prep Time: 2 minutes
Bartender’s tip: Build it in the order given, schnapps first, then juice, then vodka. With a pour this small the vodka sits near the top and you get a little lift on the first sip instead of it disappearing entirely into the juice. Fresh-squeezed orange juice is worth the effort in a drink with nowhere to hide, and if you want the name to be accurate rather than aspirational, double the vodka.
Steps
- Fill the glass: Fill a highball glass with ice.
- Build: Pour in the pear schnapps, orange juice, and vodka, in that order.
- Serve: Give it a light stir and serve right away.
