My cocktail of choice is the Manhattan. It's made up of two parts whiskey, one part sweet vermouth, two dashes of bitters and a couple of cherries. It's the perfect combination of sweet and dry, herbal and complex. It's just a classy cocktail.
Not all whiskey works well in a Manhattan. There are various factors that affect how well it will blend. These include proof, sweetness/dryness among other flavor components. I love barrel proof whiskey and especially like using a barrel proof bourbon in a Manhattan. The higher proof is a great compliment to the sweetness of the vermouth and cherries and mixes well with the herbal complexity of the vermouth and bitters.
Here is a Manhattan made with Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Bourbon (135.6 proof), Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth, Fee Brothers Barrel Aged Bitters and Luxardo Cherries. Fee brothers creates a batch of bitters released every year that they age in barrel until it reaches the optimal flavor profile. If you can find some, it usually makes a nice addition to any cocktail. My standard bitters is Peychaud's which adds a sweeter, more cherry note to your drink.
This is the perfect mix of sweet, herbal and bitter in one cocktail. The higher proof Bourbon really has a chance to shine and isn't lost like many lower (read 80 proof) bourbons. There is bright cherry flavor, a nice bitter component, lots of sweetness from the vermouth, whiskey and cherries, and a dry, wood/oak character. I think Elijah Craig's tendency toward woodiness really plays well in this cocktail.
No comments:
Post a Comment