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I’m not ashamed to admit that the first drink I ever ordered at a bar was a rum and coke. I was 19. I had graduated slightly beyond fizzy coolers, and “rum and cokes” just sounded cool. Needless to say, after a year of drinking pretty much only rum and cokes whenever I went to a bar, I got really sick of rum (and coke) to the point where if rum came anywhere near my nose, I’d start feeling ill.
I’m well beyond my rum and coke days (still can’t drink it), and for the past two years, one of my favourite drinks has been the Manhattan. I first learned about Manhattans from my dad. That’s his drink, but I didn’t really enjoy it until I started appreciating whiskey.
Last weekend, I went to The Modern Bartender, a new shop in Vancouver’s Chinatown filled with just about every tool and potion the modern mixologist would need. I went seeking bitters, and left with a bottle of Angostura bitters. When I got home, I promptly fixed myself a Manhattan. I didn’t have any rye whiskey on hand, so I used bourbon, which I understand is either acceptable or totally bastardizing depending on who you talk to. Nevermind, I had a bottle of Maker’s Mark, so that’s what I used.
In its most basic form, the recipe calls for 2 ounces (or 1 shot) of whiskey, 1 ounce (or half a shot) of sweet vermouth (I used Martini Rosso), and two to three dashes of Angostura bitters. Some people like to throw a maraschino cherry in at the end or have the drink on the rocks. I usually prefer my whiskey neat, but decided to try it on the rocks for more of a refreshing taste. It was good—very good—and I could get used to ending each work day with one of these.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
