Cherry Bomb (Original Recipe)

 

I wanted a rich Manhattan that would strike you as a winter-into-spring type of drink. My idea was to mash up a perfect Manhattan with a brandy cocktail similar to the KGB but with black cherry as the dominant flavor. 

It works really well with 99 Black Cherries and my homemade cherry blossom bitters (Yes. Made with steeped cherry blossoms.) There's no trick to this drink. Make it like a perfect Manhattan and add the additional ingredients.

• 3 oz. rye whiskey (Founding Spirits Rye used)
• 1/2 oz. sweet vermouth (Punt E Mes used)
• 1/2 oz. dry vermouth (Dolin used)
• 1/2 oz. 99 Blackcherries
• 3 dashes of cherry blossom bitters
• Luxardo cherry garnish
  

Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Stir and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Drop the cherry and a little of the syrup into the drink.

Swedish Punsch Manhattan (Kronan Recipe)

 

Kronan contacted me and wanted me to be clear that their Swedish Punsch is made exclusively from rums and blended with arrack from Java where it is aged in teakwood. It has all the sweetness to be a cocktail unto itself, but mixed in a Manhattan, it is stellar. Here's to a great way to do a winter Manhattan.

The Belmont Farms bondied whiskey is extremely oaky when served neat. Mixing with it may be the best way to enjoy it because it is bold and hangs on with some of the most pungent flavors.

• 2 oz. American whiskey (Belmont Farms Bonded Virginia Whiskey used)
• 1/2 oz. Swedish Punsh (Kronan used)
• 1/2 oz. sweet vermouth (Cocchi di Torino used)
• Luxardo cherry garnish

Combine liquid ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Stir and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a Luxardo cherry. 

Shiedam Manhattan (Original Recipe)

 If you get Schiedam gin from the Netherlands or if you can make it yourself, you will enjoy this Manhattan recipe with soft malt and juniper notes for the cooler months. It is nearly the same as any Manhattan recipe out there that uses sweet vermouth, but it substitutes Schiedam gin (A.K.A. my homemade bathtub gin) for whiskey. 

I rather like the spiciness of this cocktail: it has something for both the whiskey drinker and the classic Prohibition-style gin drinker. It's fun and makes your usual Manhattan interesting.

• 2-3 oz. Schiedam gin or low-juniper bathtub gin
• 1/2 oz. sweet vermouth (Cocchi di Torino used)
• several dashes orange bitters (Hella used)
• maraschino cherry garnish

Combine liquid ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Stir and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with cherry. 

Swiss Manhattan

 

 

I love a good Manhattan, but sometimes they are too rich for summer sipping. This Swiss version has the dry vermouth of a summer Dry Manhattan with equally dry cocoa whiskey. Kirschwasser and a cherry suggest a chocolate covered cherry, but there's none of the sweetness you associate with chocolate drinks. 

That is because MurLarkey cocoa whiskey is white whiskey rested on bitter cocoa nibs. It is just as strong as whiskey with a bitter chocolate finish. 

I was disappointed with the New American Bartender's Guide recipe that not only didn't have chocolate, but included such a small proportion of whiskey. I've simply upped the size of the drink by adding cocoa whiskey, but kirschwasser does not add the sweetness that this old recipe anticipates--not the real kirschwasser, anyway. A few drops of sugar is preferable in the large size recipe. 

• 1 1/2 oz. bourbon
• 1 1/2 oz. MurLarkey cocoa whiskey
• 1/2 oz. dry vermouth
  
• 1/2 oz. kirschwasser
• several dashes aromatic bitters (Hella used)
• maraschino cherry

Combine all liquid ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Stir and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with the cherry. 

Maria's Manhattan

A few lucky coincidences made this cocktail especially good. One is that I made my strawberry liqueur from Vitae's platinum rum and fresh (underripe strawberries.) The other is that I used MurLarkey Heritage whiskey instead of a lighter blended whiskey. The ingredient that makes this cocktail different from any other Manhattan, strawberry liqueur, also has the potential to cover over the richness of the other ingredients that define a Manhattan's profile.

MurLarkey's Heritage is a rich and well-aged corn whiskey with hints of smoke and spice cake. It isn't bourbon, however, and tastes closer to Irish whiskey except for its high proof and old country whiskey style. My strawberry liqueur is a combination of strawberries infused in rum and a cooked strawberry simple syrup. It's delicious, and with a rich vermouth, supplies hints of fresh fruit as well as a cooked jam.

• 1 1/2 oz. whiskey (MurLarkey Heritage used)
• 1/2 oz. sweet vermouth
• 1/2 oz. strawberry liqueur (homemade version used)

Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Stir and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a strawberry if you have one.

Park Avenue

This is a typical New York cocktail that doesn't mention Manhattan in its name. It turns out that this is one of two of NY drinks use pineapple juice. I'm thinking of the Harlem Cocktail, for instance. Pineapple juice adds foam to what would be a wet Martini. It's not all that original of a drink, but it was probably invented a long time ago when pineapple juice would have seemed exotic. And the cocktail has a certain appeal, very drinkable compared to a wet Martini.

• 2 oz. gin
• 1/2 oz. sweet vermouth
• 1/2 oz. pineapple juice

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Byrrh Manhattan

I said I'd be making cocktails with Byrrh when I got the chance. This is an experimental Manhattan with the rye-forward Basil Hayden's bourbon. I used Byrrh and a quinine-heavy Antica Formula vermouth and Hella Aromatic bitters. The combination was a huge sock in the mouth. Byrrh adds to the aged characteristics of the Manhattan, and even gives it an aroma of violets! I guess when you have a bottle of Byrrh, you have to get a little crazy to find uses for it.

• 3 oz. Basil Hayden's bourbon
• 1/2 oz. Byrrh Quinquina
• 1/2 oz. Antica Formula vermouth
• maraschino cherry

Combine all ingredients except cherry in a mixing glass with ice. Stir and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with cherry. 

Perfect Manhattan

I've not made a Perfect Manhattan for this blog yet, but I mentioned it in the original Manhattan entry. The thing is, it's not that different from an ordinary Manhattan, but I've not had a Manhattan in so long because I don't want to waste liquor or my liver on a drink I've already had. The exception, however, is that I have good rye now, not just blended whiskey, which makes all the difference. I also have aromatic bitters, not Peychauds. So the drink is very different from the DIY and amateur Manhattan and a Perfect Rye Manhattan.

• 3 oz. rye (Catoctin Creek used)
• 1/2 oz. sweet vermouth (Antica Formula used)  
• 1/2 oz. dry vermouth (Mancino used)
• 3 dashes Angostura bitters (Hella aromatic used)
• maraschino cherry

Combine all ingredients except maraschino cherry in a mixing glass with ice. Stir and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with cherry.

Trilby

A bittersweet Manhattan-like cocktail, the Trilby is best made with the finest ingredients. Basil Hayden bourbon is rye-heavy and spicy, as is Antica Formula vermouth. Throw in several dashes of Angostura bitters and you have a complex and tasty before dinner cocktail that's good looking and luxurious to drink.

• 3 oz. bourbon (Basil Hayden used)
• 1 oz. sweet vermouth (Antica Formula used)
• several dashes of Angostura bitters

Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Stir and strain into a cocktail glass. (Coup glass shown).

Tequila Manhattan

So I've said that I wouldn't entertain remaking a Manhattan just to feature a different base liquor. But I've done it with Applejack to good effect and at times I've entertained using Jim Beam Red Stag or Black Velvet Toasted Caramel. These turn out to be very different drinks--not at all like a traditional Manhattan. So I got on board with gold tequila and Carpano Antica vermouth. One difference with this cocktail was the addition of an orange slice, which was in keeping with the style of the base liquor.

• 3 oz. gold tequila
• 1 oz. sweet vermouth
• 1/2 tsp. lime juice
• dash of Angostura bitters
• orange slice
• maraschino cherry

Combine all ingredients except fruit in a mixing glass with ice. Stir and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with the cherry and orange slice.

Paddy Cocktail

Another drink request at Murphy's. This one is a Manhattan with Jameson, vermouth and cherry bitters. You should ask for this on the 17th!

• 2 oz. Irish whiskey
• 3/4 oz. sweet vermouth
• several dashes of bitters
• cherry

Combine whiskey and vermouth in a shaker or mixing glass with ice. Stir or shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Add dashes of bitters and cherry garnish.

Manhattan

I originally made this cocktail with a combination of whiskies I had available according to the standard NY Bartender's Guide recipe. There are many more including sweet, dry, and "perfect" variations. Use Canadian whiskey or bourbon to change it up. Then there are also blended and Irish whiskey versions too. Outside of whiskey, there's tequila, brandy, and even dark rum versions. But this is the original as was first made at the Manhattan Club in New York.

• 3 oz. rye whiskey
• 1/2 oz. sweet vermouth
• dash Angostura bitters
• maraschino cherry

Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Stir and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a cherry.

The Toasted Caramel Manhattan

Something You Can’t Make Without Flavored Whiskey

• 4 parts (2 oz.) Canadian, bourbon, or blended whiskey
• 2 parts (1 oz.) Black Velvet Toasted Caramel whiskey

Shake over ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a cherry if desired.