I’ll Take (a) ππManhattan
As my β€οΈ love for π₯ bourbon continues to grow, so does my love for delicious, old school, classic cocktails. Dear over-21-cocktail-loving-friends, that’s exactly what you’ll get with a perfectly made Manhattan. A proper Manhattan Cocktail is actually made with rye, not bourbon, however this version is prefect with a delicious, sweet, caramelly bourbon.
So the story goes, the Manhattan first appeared at a New York club in the 1870’s. It was served at a banquet hosted by Lady Randolph Churchill, the mother of Sir Winston Churchill, or so they say. Apparently there are many others who claim to be first. I’ll just say, I’m glad someone came up with it! Cheers to a perfectly fine idea! πΈ
I definitely enjoy a Manhattan Cocktail in a beautiful, elegant, bar. Preferably dimly lit, with gorgeous, old style architecture, rich wooden paneling, a witty and knowledgable bartender, and a little piano music being played in the room. But, if that’s not available, my living room will do just fine. Come on by, I’ll mix one up for us!
π₯ Bourbon, Whiskey Or Scotch, Oh My!
Just in case you’re looking to improve your knowledge of mash, here’s a little lesson. It might just be enough to get you into the next round of Jeopardy. π€
Whiskey is a fermented grain mash. For whiskey to be bourbon, it must follow a strict standard of law, that’s right, it’s the law!
Bourbon must be made in the USA. It must be 51% or more from π½ corn. Other types of whiskey are made with corn, rye, wheat, malted barley or malted rye grain. Bourbon must be aged in new charred oak containers and it may not contain any additives. The flavor of bourbon is sweet with a little taste of caramel and slightly smokey from the aging process in the charred oak.
Tennessee Whisky (not a typo, no e in Tennessee Whisky)
Tennessee Whisky is always made in Tennessee. It is filtered or steeped through charcoal, called the “Lincoln County Process” before it is put into casks to age. It is not sold as bourbon, but as Tennessee Whisky. It’s delicious if I do say so myself. I just returned from Nashville and I sampled a bit of Tennessee Whisky as important fact gathering for this post, ah…………you’re welcome. π
Kentucky Bourbon and Tennessee Whisky are similar but the whisky follows state guidelines and bourbon follows the federal guidelines.
π΄σ §σ ’σ ³σ £σ ΄σ Ώ Scotch Whisky (also no e)
Scotch Whisky is only made in Scotland and is made mostly with malted barley. It’s a little sharper and less smooth than other types of Whiskey or Bourbon and likely takes a bit of getting used to.
βοΈ Irish Whiskey (back to the e)
Irish Whiskey is distilled 3 separate times, then must be aged in wooden casks for at least 3 years, in Ireland in order to be true Irish Whiskey. It’s one of my favorites. I think because I started getting a sip or two from the time I was very young. SSsshhhhhh, don’t tell anyone. Irish Whiskey is a nice sipper, straight up. Have you read my blog about my favorite aunts perfect Irish Coffee? You can see it here https://wp.me/p9KEfL-j
πββοΈCanadian Whisky (no e again)
Made in Canada, it’s lighter and smoother than most whiskey. It’s made with corn and other grains. That’s all I know “Aboat” this one!
π Moonshine β‘οΈ
Moonshine is 1 million proof! Just kidding, but if itβs 100% alcohol, that would make it 200 proof! Full on alcohol. It got it’s name “White Lightening” because it was made quickly (have you seen the show “Moonshiners”?) It’s distilled quickly, then bottled for immediate consumption. It’s clear because it’s had no time in oak barrels or any aging process. Hey, you could make this right in your π bathtub and not have to worry about any more stubborn rust stains! They’ll come right out with the “bath-water”!
That concludes this days lesson on Whiskey/Whisky/Bourbon/Rye, You’re welcomeπ……You never know when this type of information will become useful.
Without Further Ado, The Perfect Manhattan Cocktail πΈ Recipe!
Chill your cocktail glass by filling with ice.
Into a glass or cocktail shaker, fill 1/2 way with ice, add 2 ounces bourbon and 1 ounce of sweet red vermouth. Next, a splash of the Luxardo Maraschino Cherry syrup from the jar, about a 2/3 of a teaspoon and 3 dashes of Agostura bitters. Using a bar spoon, stir the cocktail for about 20-30 seconds. Toss the ice out of the cocktail glass, then strain the stirred cocktail into the chilled glass. Garnish with a Luxardo Maraschino Cherry and Bob’s your uncle. Cheers!
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 ounces bourbon
- 1 ounce sweet red vermouth
- (Optional for a dryer cocktail use 1/2 ounce sweet vermouth and 1/2 ounce dry vermouth)
- splash of Luxardo Maraschino Cherry Syrup (from the jar of cherries)
- 2-3 dashes of Agostura bitters
Garnish Luxardo Maraschino Cherry
Instructions
- Chill your cocktail glass by filling with ice.Β Into a glass or cocktail shaker, filled 1/2 way with ice, add 2 ounces bourbon and 1 ounce of sweet red vermouth.Β Next, a splash of the Luxardo Maraschino Cherry syrup from the jar, about a 2/3 of a teaspoon and 3 dashes of Agostura bitters.Β Using a bar spoon, stir the cocktail for about 20-30 seconds.Β Β Toss the ice out of the cocktail glass, then strain the stirred cocktail into the chilled glass.Β Garnish with a Luxardo Maraschino Cherry
- Adapted from the classic recipe. Karen Harris https://www.bittersaltysoursweet.com
