Best Manhattan variations?

[Adam George]

Quick, someone come up with an ultra corny way to link Normandy, Scotland and NOLA and name it such!

[DougOLis]

I tried Adam's take on the Norman Conquest with a dash of Bénédictine rather than the barspoon of Drambuie (I'm out) and I enjoyed it. The Peychaud's is a nice touch with the apple spirit. I'll have to try it the right way sometime.

So basically a vieux carre with subbing of calvados for cognac? I could get on board with that

[Rafa]

Yup. Off-topic, but there's a nice Vieux Carre variant with Calvados as the brandy and bonded applejack as the "whiskey." I think I found it on these forums.

[FrogPrincesse]

From the Bonal thread, the No. 65 is a very aromatic Manhattan variation with rye, Bonal, falernum, and bitters (Angostura + orange).

 

 

Recently I also liked this one very much - Stood Up by Michael McIlroy. It's a 50:50 rye Manhattan with a heavy rinse of Luxardo Bitters (I used Campari - they are very similar). A bit bittersweet, lighter than a regular Manhattan. A perfect apéritif.

 

 

[Katie Meadow]

At my new favorite bar I had something called a Downward Spiral: Rittenhouse rye, amaro ciociaro, framboise and orange bitters. I was worried it might be too sweet with the framboise, but was assured that the framboise was very minimal. It was, and the drink was delicious and in no way sweet. It was served with a twist which I suspect was orange (this bar is very dark!) Actually my drink looked exactly like the drink above. Lacking framboise, perhaps a fine drink could be made by just tossing in a couple of bruised fresh raspberries.  

[FrogPrincesse]

Yup. Off-topic, but there's a nice Vieux Carre variant with Calvados as the brandy and bonded applejack as the "whiskey." I think I found it on these forums. 

Here.

I have to admit that I don't really understand the calvados + bonded applejack combo, because they are very similar. 

[FrogPrincesse]

Michael McIlroy's Greenpoint is truly excellent. It's very harmonious and I love the herbal notes from the chartreuse.

2 oz rye (Bulleit), 1/2 sweet vermouth (Dolin), 1/2 oz yellow chartreuse, 2 dashes Angostura bitters, 1 dash orange bitters (Angostura).

 

 

 

 

[FrogPrincesse]

Another day, another Manhattan variation. This one, The Old Friends, is from Sydney's bar Eau de Vie. It's a kitchen-sink approach to a Manhattan with a little bit of everything. I made the cocktail based on the recipe published in Speakeasy Cocktails, but there is a version in their book that is heavier on the Cynar that I want to try too.

1.75 oz rye (Bulleit), 1 oz sweet vermouth (Dolin), 4 tsp Cynar (4 tsp = 2/3 oz; I used 3 tsp = 0.5 oz), dash absinthe (St. George), dash Angostura bitters, dash Peychaud's bitters, stir, strain over large ice cube (served up), lemon and orange twist, brandied cherry.

 

 

[huiray]

Whatever the variation, how cold do you folks like it?  With or without ice bits floating in it?  Shaken or stirred?

[brinza]

Michael McIlroy's Greenpoint is truly excellent. It's very harmonious and I love the herbal notes from the chartreuse.

2 oz rye (Bulleit), 1/2 sweet vermouth (Dolin), 1/2 oz yellow chartreuse, 2 dashes Angostura bitters, 1 dash orange bitters (Angostura).

 

I like the sound of this, but I lack Yellow Chartreuse. I might try it with Dolin's Genepy des Alpes, which is more akin to Green Chartreuse, but a touch sweeter. A couple drops of Benedictine might provide the dark spice notes of the Yellow Chartreuse.

That No. 65 looks enticing as well, and I do happen to have Bonal and Falernum.

[brinza]

The variation on the Greenpoint using the Genepy des Alpes was wonderful. I didn't bother with the "drops of Benedictine" feeling that there would be enough going on without it. The subtle taste of the Genepy came through just enough and the overall taste probably differs enough from the Greenpoint to have its own name. I'll have to think on it. Something less silly than "Manhatterhorn" which is all I can think of at the moment.

[Plantes Vertes]

I call that name inspired.

[FrogPrincesse]

The Home on the Range is an orange-flavored Manhattan, with Cointreau replacing half of the sweet vermouth. I used 2 oz of Bulleit rye, 1/2 oz Dolin rouge, 1/2 oz Cointreau, and a couple of dashes of Miracle Miles forbidden bitters (Angostura works great too). These ratios and ingredients are from the Bartender's Choice app. CocktailDB has a version with bourbon and Dubonnet.

 

 

[FrogPrincesse]

Like lesliec, sbumgarner, brinza, ChrisTaylor, and Czequershuus on the Drinks! thread, I tried the Armistice. Rye, dry vermouth, maraschino liqueur, green chartreuse, whiskey barrel-aged bitters.

 

 

Very nice drink. At first I was a bit overwhelmed by the chartreuse and maraschino, but it's almost like it has a second wind, with an unexpected finish where the rye becomes very prominent. This will be a repeat for sure.

[EvergreenDan]

I tried the Armistice too. Whereas I find that Leopold Maraschino usually gets lost, even the 1/4 oz in this deal came through nicely. Lovely.

[Adam George]

Whatever the variation, how cold do you folks like it?  With or without ice bits floating in it?  Shaken or stirred?

 

As cold as i can get it through stirring, into a frozen glass.  No floating ice;  There shouldn't be any if you've stirred.

[FrogPrincesse]

My cocktail last night was Erik Adkins' Fort Point with Bulleit rye, Cocchi Barolo Chinato, and R&W apricot liqueur. The chinato and apricot liqueur created a very pleasant apple flavor in the cocktail.

 

 

[Tzatziki]

My favorite is a cocktail I tried at Bourbon and Branch a year or so ago, that they call the "Agent Smith". There are a lot of flavors happening, and I haven't been back to SF in a while, so I have a hard time judging the correct proportions. I still mess around with them (and suggested modifications would be awesome!), but right now I lean towards:

 

- 2 oz rye

- 1/2 oz punt e mes

- 1/2 oz green chartreuse

- 1/4 oz maraschino

- 3 dashes chocolate bitters

[Yojimbo]

My favorite is a cocktail I tried at Bourbon and Branch a year or so ago, that they call the "Agent Smith".

 

 

Tzatziki, is there a garnish on this?  I first tried it with a full oz. of Punt e Mes, but I'll try your original ratios next.  This is a nice one!

[JoNorvelleWalker]

For my first manhattan I went with a simple straightforward recipe:

 

2 oz Rittenhouse

1 oz Carpano Antica

1 dash Angostura

 

 

Stirred.  The first stirred drink I can say I have really enjoyed.  No garnish.  Where, by the way, does one find real maraschino cherries?

 

I tried my manhattan with and without Angostura and found I liked the Angostura version better.  If truth be told I forgot to add the Angostura the first time arround.  Maybe I should stick to less complicated drinks till I've warmed up a bit.

[weinoo]

Try orange bitters and a twist.

 

Do you have a WF near you? The one I shop at stocks the cherries.

 

Or here, perhaps.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Thanks.  I see amazon has the cherries.  Why am I not surprised.

 

 

[campus five]

Rittenhouse/Carpano/Ango - what perfect place to start. The only problem is how many combinations out there will pale in comparison. 

When it comes to garnish, I almost always skip the cherry and go for a twist. 

I find an orange peel has the ability to make the drink seem sweeter, and a lemon peel seems to dry a drink out. 

Especially with Carpano, I find the lemon peel is the perfect balance. 

[Tzatziki]

Tzatziki, is there a garnish on this?  I first tried it with a full oz. of Punt e Mes, but I'll try your original ratios next.  This is a nice one!

 

If memory recalls, there was a slice of orange peel floated in the drink (which was served up), but I could be mistaken - it's been a couple years.

[EvergreenDan]

Thanks.  I see amazon has the cherries.  Why am I not surprised.

That's a big 'un. If I had 4 cocktail-luvin' friends near me, I'd buy one and split it, which would be rather economical. They have a hard candied outer skin/shell and are bursting with concentrated fruit flavor. I liked the ones I made, but I love these.