Make Manhattan Better With Punt E Mes
I have a tendency to get hung up on aggressive, bitter tastes. When I drank beer, I was looking for the hoppyest IPA, but now that I no longer drink beer (it makes me sneeze), I prefer the bitter, botanical amari. I don’t know why I like to punish my sky with plants, but I do.
A greedy Ferrari (Fernet + Campari) has taught my palate to avoid sweets, so much so that I find it hard to drink classic Manhattan (and make friends). Fortunately, there is Punt e Mes, and it is the perfect fortified wine for bitterness lovers.
According to Food & Wine , the name translates to “point and a half,” and, as the story goes, it is one part vermouth and half the highly herbal bitter quina liqueur. ” It is a fortified wine, but with more bitter herbs, and it reigns. It’s sweet enough to act as a modifier, but has a more confrontational base than what you’d usually find in sweet vermouth. Best of all: you can replace it with any sweet vermouth without changing the proportions. (Also good with soda.)
I use Punt e Mes in my Manhattans, in my Negrons – anything that really requires sweet vermouth, but right now I’m at Rob Roy’s peak. The bitter character of Punt e Mes goes especially well with peat whiskey. To make it you will need:
- 2 ounce blended whiskey
- 1 oz Punt e Mes
- 2 drops of Angostura bitter
Combine everything in a stirring glass filled with cracked ice and stir until cool. Strain into a compartment glass and serve with a stripe, orange or cherry zest, if you have one.