As far as the classics go, the manhattan is actually one of my least favorite. To me, the obvious factor that contributes to my distaste is the vermouth because I love rye cocktails and I enjoy bitters as well. Nevertheless, I try again and again to find one I’ll actually drink. I’ve ordered it countless times at bars and I’ve made it as close to the original (and as far from it) as possible to no avail.
This time, I might have finally found a flavor I can settle on. The citrus notes in here help tailor this drink more to my liking, though Mad Men fans may be enraged. It seems the cocktail has resurfaced since the show began in 2007, so it will be interesting to see if the popularization of the manhattan continues long after Don goes off the air.
Boiled Cherries
1 cup overripe red cherries
1 cup water
Boil the fruit and water in a small pot for about 5-10 minutes. Then, let simmer and set the cherries aside to cool. You may want to refrigerate these for about an hour before use.
Lemon Plum Manhattan
3 oz. rye whisky
1 oz. sweet vermouth
2 dashes orange bitters
1 lemon wedge
1/2 prune plum
1 boiled cherry
Ice
Short-stem coupe glass
Place the glass in the freezer for about 10-15 minutes. Add ice to a shaker and pour in the rye, vermouth, and bitters. Squeeze the lemon wedge and drop it into the shaker. Shake well.
Remove the glass from the freezer and strain the cocktail into it. Garnish with the plum and cherry to serve.
What I like most about this cocktail is that the notes of orange and plum make this the perfect transitional cocktail for the fast-approaching autumn season.
Sip smart,
Dane
A variation of this cocktail will appear in Dish + Drink tomorrow.
dontherocks 