French Manhattan
You’ve all had my Classic Manhattan and are, by this point, hopefully well-versed in decent bourbon or rye selection. So now we put a small twist on my all-time favorite cocktail (a more subtle twist than straight up ordering a Sazerac). So what, you might ask, makes a Manhattan “French?” A traditional 1860s-style Manhattan is typically made with rye whiskey though more modern tastes frequently prefer bourbon. A French Manhattan uses a cognac base and emphasizes citrus with the gentle addition of Grand Marnier or Cointreau. It is a smoother cocktail – substantially smoother than a Rye Manhattan – and might be more agreeable who those whose tastes do not naturally gravitate towards the darker spirits. As one additional note, a friend recently introduced me to Armagnac, a species of brandy distilled in the Gascony region of France. It would likely make an excellent addendum to a French Manhattan evening.
what you need
1 1/2 oz Cognac of choice (for entry level, I recommend Courvoisier, though my Christmas present this year was a bottle of D’USSÉ Essential and it is out of this world!)
1/2 oz Grand Marnier
1/2 oz Sweet Vermouth (I recommend Dolin)
3 dashes Black Walnut bitters or bitters or choice
Garnish: orange peel, quarter orange slide, and/or cocktail cherry.
how to make it
Place a few ice cubes in a cocktail shaker and add all ingredients minus the garnish.
Let sit for 60 second and then stir well. Do not shake.
Strain cocktail into cocktail glass and add garnish, assembled on a toothpick.
Serve chilled. You may want to chill your glasses ahead of time.
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