As we continue to slog through the winter, I usually look for something hearty and robust – like a Manhattan. Variety being the spice of life, here’s good news for cocktail-focused drinkers everywhere: the basic Manhattan recipe lends itself to interesting variations – there are hundreds, if not thousands – and we’ve got an excellent example right here.
Not a classic – it was concocted in 2009 at the Clover Club, a bar in Brooklyn – but it drinks like one. Stout, boozy, and serious, but it goes down very smoothly. A nice balance between the whiskey and the sweet/bitter ingredients.
I have Kristin and William, my totally deluxe daughter-in-law and son, to thank for first serving me this one. So nice to have creative, interesting, reasonably well-behaved children to hang-out with! Makes all the past parenting drama worth it!
Mix up one of these delights and you won’t mind the cold!
The Slope
2.5 oz rye
.75 oz sweet vermouth. (Best to use a stout one like Punt e Mes or Carpano Antica)
.25 oz apricot liqueur (I’m using Rothman & Winter because that’s what they stock at Midtown)
Dash of Angostura bitters
Because there are no cloudy ingredients here, I prefer to stir rather than shake. Get it good and cold and serve it straight up. And a brandied cherry wouldn’t hurt.