Cocktails with Carpano Punt e Mes

[scratchline]

Just mixed my first Punt e Mes Manhattan with Wild Turkey Rye. Thanks to all on this board who pointed me toward this vermouth. The drink couldn't have been better. Okay maybe with Sazerac Rye.

Looking forward to many more from this and other bottles.

Happy imbibing.

[Alchemist]

Oh yeah, gotta love the punt y mes. It's also good in a negoni, try a Juniperio Valintino with a splash of P.Y.M.

[marty mccabe]

And please don't forget about Carpano's Antica Formula, which if you can find it, makes the absolute best Manhattan (or Negroni) ever!

[scratchline]

And what, pray tell, is this Antica Formula? If it perfects the Manhattan it MUST be had.

[marty mccabe]

I might be a little fuzzy on the details, but Carpano Antica is made by the same company that makes Carpano Punt e Mes, but the Antica bottling is based on their "ancient" formula for vermouth. It will probably run about $10 more expensive but it's absolutely mesmerizing...and a bit harder to find, unfortunately.

Flavor wise, I found it a little smoother, with more aromatic notes, and not quite as sweet.

Worth the search...

[Rob Simmon]

Antica Formula is advertised as (and may be) the original sweet vermouth. It tastes somewhat like an Amaro or other potable bitters than a typical vermouth. Pegu Club uses it in their top-shelf manhattans. Really, really good.

[scratchline]

'Nuff said. Currently on order from my local provider and scheduled for delivery by Wednesday of next week. Thanks for the tip.

Will mix and report back.

Viva Antica.

[Alchemist]

I would use the Antica in conjunction with the Punt Y Mes. I think the gestault of Rye or Gin, Antica, and P.Y.M. is outstanding. Because the Antica is more complex, and more assertive than the usual Sweet Vermouth, you can can hit harder with the bitters. So try Peychaud in a rye Manhattan, and orange bitters in a Valintino.

[Nathan P.]

OK, so I stumbled into a bottle of the Carpano Antica Formula at my wineshop yesterday. So I am planning to do Manhattans for a cocktail before christmas eve dinner but am not going to be able to be any tasting before the event. Any hints on usage- lower % due to stronger flavor?, more and let it dominate, crank the bitters like Alchemist recommends?

The spirits I have on hand are Evan William Single barrel bourbon and Old Overholt Rye. For bitters I have Fee's orange, Peychaud, and Angostura.

Thanks for any hints-

If it helps, my recent default has been 2.0oz : 1.0oz Eagle Rare 10yr : MartiniRossi with 2 good dashes of Angostura.

[Libationgoddess]

Honestly, I think less is more, especially with the Evan Williams Single Barrel. Let the whiskey speak for itself. Stick with a dash or two, but don't overdo it. The Old Overholt is lighter, with less personality, and yeah, can weather the extra dash or two of bitters. But be careful with the overuse of bitters in conjunction with Punt e mes; it already has it's own bitter note which is fairly prominent. Although I am a strong advocate of layering flavors in cocktails, when you have too many bitters swimming around you kill the beauty of the whiskey, and then drink tastes murky. Punt e Mes and Antiqua Formula are both produced by Carpano, and basically share the same flavor profile... the antiqua a little mellower.

Booker's Manhattan (E.M. recipe)

2 1/2 oz Booker's Bourbon

3/4 oz Martini & Rossi Sweet Vermouth

1/2 oz Punt e Mes

1 dash Angostura (optional)

It's important to keep in mind that the flavor profile of something as simple as regular sweet vermouth makes a big difference in the outcome of your cocktails. Compare brands....Martini & Rossi, Cinzano, Stock, etc, and decide. The differences are vast.

Audrey

[Nathan P.]

Thanks for the starting tips, Audrey. I'm looking forward to tasting and playing around with this product but I've promised Manhattans tonight so it is great to have someone's research to at least get me started. I had not thought about blending the two vermouths for these drinks but think it is a fine idea. My audience are not cocktail fanatics so I suspect a more modest level of bitterness will please them more.

[JAZ]

I found Carpano Antica at my favorite liquor shop and bought a bottle. Tonight, I tried a version of the 2-2-2 Manhattan from Pegu Club. The drink calls for 2 different ryes, two vermouths and two types of bitters (hence the name), but I only had Wild Turkey rye, so I went with:

2 oz. Wild Turkey rye

1/4 oz. Noilly Prat dry vermouth

1/4 (+) oz. Carpano Antica

Dash Peychauds bitters

Dash bitters

Not quite as good as the Pegu Club's (which, as I recall, is made with Rittenhouse bonded and Mitcher's), but good enough to make me a believer in Manhattans.

[eje]

I found Carpano Antica at my favorite liquor shop and bought a bottle.

←

Funny, I came home with a bottle of Carpano Antica Friday night after seeing it on the shelf of a certain liquor store in Noe Valley.

I guess the really "funny" part, is, I was avoiding buying a bottle of Vya sweet vermouth because of the price. And how much does the vermouth I come home with cost? I don't even really need another bottle of sweet vermouth!

edit - added URL for "certain" liquor store.

Edited February 13, 2006 by eje (log)

[Gary Regan]

And let's not forget Phillip Ward's Cornwall Negroni, Aud!

Cornwall Negroni

Created by Phillip Ward, Pegu Club, New York, 2005.

2 ounces Beefeater gin

1/2 ounce Campari

1/2 ounce Punt e Mes

1/2 ounce sweet vermouth

2 dashes orange bitters

1 orange twist, as garnish

Stir and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Add the garnish.

[Sneakeater]

A great drink. A great, great drink.

Edited February 13, 2006 by Sneakeater (log)

[Sneakeater]

(Ummmmmm, who was it created in honor of?)

[Gary Regan]

(Ummmmmm, who was it created in honor of?)

←

The village of Cornwall-on-Hiudson, I believe . . .

It is a GREAT drink, though.

(Sorry, Sneakeater, but I guess we know each other. Do you have another name--one that I might recognize?)

[Sneakeater]

I have another name (believe it or not, I wasn't born Sneakeater), but not one that you'd recognize.

I have to tell you this, though, Gary. You're this incredibly important person to this young friend of mine.

I have this eleven-year-old friend, the son of some good friends. After a vacation in a Southern resort area, he became fascinated by mixology. He's not allowed to taste cocktails, of course. But he loves making them. He loves the craft, the detail, the whole thing.

Your martini book is like his bible. (I've since given him Dale DeGroff's Craft of the Cocktail, but your book is still the one he reaches for. The Joy of Mixology's next!) You're like this major influence on him.

I have to say, from my perspective as consumer of his efforts, that contrary to one's intuitions, there's a lot to be said for having drinks made by someone who's making them by the book. For example, he's not been affected by the general prejudice for (overly) dry martinis, so he's far more likely than most bartenders (i.e., he's CERTAIN) to make a properly proportioned classic martini. I'd say that right now, he makes my favorite martini in Manhattan.

Edited February 13, 2006 by Sneakeater (log)

[Alchemist]

I belive one can follow the creation of this (Cornwall Negroni) cocktail on the phoney baloney negroni thread.

[Gary Regan]

I have another name (believe it or not, I wasn't born Sneakeater), but not one that you'd recognize.

I have to tell you this, though, Gary.  You're this incredibly important person to this young friend of mine.

I have this eleven-year-old friend, the son of some good friends.  After a vacation in a Southern resort area, he became fascinated by mixology.  He's not allowed to taste cocktails, of course.  But he loves making them.  He loves the craft, the detail, the whole thing.

Your martini book is like his bible.  (I've since given him Dale DeGroff's Craft of the Cocktail, but your book is still the one he reaches for.  The Joy of Mixology's next!)  You're like this major influence on him.

I have to say, from my perspective as consumer of his efforts, that contrary to one's intuitions, there's a lot to be said for having drinks made by someone who's making them by the book.  For example, he's not been affected by the general prejudice for (overly) dry martinis, so he's far more likely than most bartenders (i.e., he's CERTAIN) to make a properly proportioned classic martini.  I'd say that right now, he makes my favorite martini in Manhattan.

←

What was it that Auntie Mame said about children making Marinis? Something like, "It's improper, and they use too much verouth."

Obviously not true in this particular case!

Alchemist: Thanks for pointing me to that thread re CWall Negroni. Very interesting.

[Sneakeater]

I think that, in terms of the mania for overly dry martinis, Auntie Mame was probably part of the problem, not part of the solution.

[Gary Regan]

I think that, in terms of the mania for overly dry martinis, Auntie Mame was probably part of the problem, not part of the solution.

←

I, on the other hand, think that everyone should enjoy their Martini however they want to have it. I'm not above introducing "dry" freaks to the delights of a Martini with enough vermouth to be detectable, and this is the way I, personally, like my Martinis. But I think that the ratio should be left to the consumer in question. Each to his/her own.

And it's such a great quote, anyway, I find it hard to believe that it could be viewed as "part of the problem."

[Sneakeater]

Of course you're right. But I tend to think of it as War.

[Gary Regan]

Of course you're right.  But I tend to think of it as War.

←

I like your attitude!

[eje]

Happy accident last night. Wanted a Brooklyn Cocktail; but, didn't feel like pulling all the liquor out of the cabinet to get to the Torani Amer at the back, so substituted Punt e Mes.

Very tasty!

2 oz rye

3/4 oz dry vermouth

1/4 oz (generous) Punt e Mes

1/4 oz (generous) Maraschino