Raise Your Manhattan With Amaro
Happy weekend and welcome back to Happy 3 Ingredient Hour , a weekly drinks column featuring very simple yet delicious libations. This week we make a woody, Manhattan-style herbal drink based on Audrey Saunders’ Little Italy cocktail.
The original recipe I found while browsing through Robert Simonson’s guide to staple drinks, Three Ingredient Cocktails , got its twist with the addition of Cynar, an artichoke-infused liqueur with a warm woody rather than plant-based flavor. Real Little Italy is made from Rittenhouse 100-Proof rye, but I found it quite enjoyable using high tenacity bourbon like JTS Brown Bottled-in-Bond. The result is a sweet, woody, tough little room that is slightly different from the standard Manhattan. To make it yourself, you will need:
- 2 ounces of strong bourbon or rye, whichever you prefer
- 3/4 ounce sweet vermouth
- 1/2 ounce cinar
Combine everything in a stirring glass (or pint glass) filled with ice and stir for about half a minute until the drink cools. Strain into a compartment glass, garnish with cherries or a strip of lemon zest if you want to indulge yourself with the fourth ingredient, and enjoy.