The classics are among the best places to start your cocktail journey, and the widely available ingredients in the Manhattan make for a satisfying sipper. Start with the classic recipe, then experiment: swap bourbon for rye or vary the proportions, although the 2:1:2 is the classic.
Called “old-fashioned” because barkeeps of yore would fancy up a base combination of liquor plus all manner of fruit, fortified wine and god-knows what else. So the ‘cool kids’ asked for a drink ‘the old-fashioned way’ meaning a simpler combo of sprit, sugar and bitters.
Created in Italy out of a tradition of bitter aperitifs meant for sipping before dinner, The Negroni cocktail typically uses gin as the base spirit. Here we swap in boubon to significant effect.
This is a play on the 150+ year old Sazerac, and while first made with brandy, rye stepped in after a late 1800s phylloxera disease killed a French grape crop. This variant splits the base, and uses crème de banane for a surprising twist.
