I’ve been on a bit of a bourbon kick of late. Long ago, I couldn’t have imagined having a taste for fine bourbon, but now seven years later (!!!) I am finding that nothing hits the spot quite like it. Just this past Friday, I decided to lavish myself with this simple pleasure, in the form of a manhattan… and I think I’ll do it again.

Over the weekend I regaled a long time friend (and bartender of 11 years), Jay, with my growing love for the finer things in life – like good bourbon. We chatted about the best places to find a good drink in Buffalo and how a good bartender should make a great manhattan. Since he had been in the business for so long, although not anymore, I know I can always trust his tips and recipes. I began rattling off a manhattan recipe from my head, and he immediately stopped me when I said “an ounce of sweet vermouth,” to convey the importance of not overdoing it, thus bruising the alcohol. Jay gave me a recipe of his own, and I look forward to trying it out this coming weekend. Here it is, straight from a connoisseur’s mouth:

Jay’s Manhattan Recipe

A bit of sweet vermouth
2 oz bourbon
2 dashes bitters
Maraschino cherry

Fill an old fashioned glass with ice. Put in just enough sweet vermouth to coat the ice cubes – any more, and you’ll risk bruising the alcohol. Add bourbon (I prefer Maker’s Mark) and 2 dashes of bitters. Give a little stir, and garnish with a maraschino cherry, if desired.

Try it out – a good bourbon manhattan is a beautiful thing!

TAGS [ COCKTAILS | MANHATTAN | BOURBON | BITTERS ]