Saturday, September 1, 2012

Calling All Manhattans: Nihil Utopia

This one from Dagreb of Nihil Utopia arrives a bit belatedly cuz I had to fetch the Knob Creek Single Barrel for it, but very well worth the wait. The overproof bourbon balances well with the big jolt of Martini & Rossi, making for something like an ultimate bar Manhattan. And as such, it cries out for a red cherry. (Fear not—it’s naturally dyed.)

cocktail

Manhattan
  • 2 oz Knob Creek Single Barrel
  • 1 oz Martini & Rossi Rosso
  • 2 dashes Angostura Bitters
Stir well with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Cherry.
SOURCE: DAGREB, NIHIL UTOPIA

Another superb Manhattan, rich yet graceful. I’m impressed as I make each of these varied recipes how essentially Manhattan-like they all are.

Oh yeah, and in case anyone’s still wondering, I’m on a Manhattan jag, spinning favorites from callers out there in the broadcast area. Anyone can play.

5 comments:

  1. What with the Single Barrel Knob Creek and the M&R, this is like a super-charged version of my Manhattan.

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  2. I thought of two more for you to try, if you're running out of iterations!

    The first is a version of the Manhattan which I've been working on but haven't perfected yet. The idea arose when I realized I really like a lemon garnish on my Manhattan.

    Using the Dolin and Knob Creek is just fine for this one, like my last one, though I would suggest the overproof Knob Creek to also be a good idea, if you're feeling wily and extravagant. 1.5oz whiskey, 1oz vermouth, 2-3 dashes Angostura. Here's the unusual method: Build ingredients in a short glass so that you can easily peel 3 lemon twists (as if a garnish) into the mixture, making sure to express the oils onto the liquid's surface. Then, pour the mixture AND lemon peels into a pitcher/glass/what-have-you along with ice, and stir the cocktail normally. Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with a lemon twist/peel.

    I'd be interested to know what you think.

    The 2nd idea is to simply make a Saratoga cocktail(basically a Manhattan variation) and compare it to your Manhattans. Why? Because I've been known to make the dastardly claim that the Saratoga is a better drink than the Manhattan. Bonus: If you post about the Saratoga in the next 7 days, I'll link to it in my MxMo post for Fred's upcoming MxMo.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The first one sounds a little like the horse’s neck treatment I gave to a whiskey cocktail I made night before last.

      The second should be very interesting, as I’ve never made a Saratoga.

      Delete
  3. Interesting... by "whiskey cocktail", do you mean an Old Fashioned served straight up?

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    Replies
    1. On the rocks—sort of. (On the rock?) Really no particular whiskey cocktail recipe but in the old style with dots and dashes of things you’d find there. But it had a slightly beaten up serpentine lemon zest.

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