My Recipe
- 2oz Bourbon or Rye Whiskey
- ¾oz Sweet or Italian Vermouth
- ½oz Cherry Heering
- 2 dashes Angostura Bitters
- Absinthe Wash or Mist
- Garnish: one or more Luxardo cherries
The Description
The original version of this recipe can be found in Charles H Baker’s classic 1939 book “The Gentlemen’s Companion, Volume II: Being an Exotic Drinking Book or Around the World with Jigger, Beaker and Flask”. According to the author, he discovered this drink while in Havana during the 1933 Cuban Revolution.
Preparation
This cocktail is a very tasty riff of a Manhattan and is a cool-weather household staple. Preparation differs depending on my energy level. I have served this drink in a martini glass and in a rocks glass, though the former is preferred.
When serving in a martini glass, I typically spray the inside of the glass with the absinthe, using an atomizer, and dash the bitters inside the glass; the martini glass will pool the bitters into its conical bottom. The whiskey, vermouth and Cherry Herring are stirred separately in a stirring glass with ice and the mixture is poured and swirled into the bitters pool in the bottom of the glass. A single Luxardo cherry is then casually dropped into the center of the glass, or, when I’m feeling particularly lavish, 2-3 are skewered onto cocktail picks and placed into the glass.
When serving lazily into a rocks glass, the whiskey, vermouth, Cherry Heering and bitters are stirred in the glass with a single, large cube or sphere of ice. The absinthe is then sprayed over the top. Garnish to suit your mood. Note that the ice in the glass will dilute the drink over time, if it lasts that long.
The selection of bourbon versus rye and the choice of sweet vermouth will add a lot of variety to this drink. A recent concoction featuring Rittenhouse Rye (bottled-in-bond) and Guerin Sweet Vermouth was a notable combination. Antica Formula Carpano vermouth is another strong choice. Finally, splurge on the cherries. You’re worth it.