Has it seriously been 5 MONTHS since I’ve done a cocktail post? Wow. Rest assured, I have not been abstaining from imbibing during the same period. Here’s one of my new favorites.
First of all, St. George Spirits is awesome. They are based in Alameda, and until the last few years, have focused pretty exclusively on creative infused vodkas (think Buddha’s Hand citrus and chipotle. yeah.). They have a great tasting room and tour and if you’re in the Bay Area, you need to get there now.
Despite the fact that their vodkas are delicious, vodka is pretty much my last choice when it comes to liquor. Thankfully, St. George Spirits has added absinthe, a single-malt whiskey, a bourbon, rhum agricole, and a series of gins to their line-up. (The fact that the St. George Spirits gals were super nice, bought a lot of my art, and kept Steve and I well-lubricated at the La Cocina gift fair in December doesn’t hurt my opinion of them either. )
Last week I picked up their Dry Rye Gin and decided to whip up a version of the classic Manhattan, swapping the traditional rye with the rye gin. The result? Absolutely nothing like a Manhattan. Much more spiced and peppery. The rye gin on it’s own is super complex, with 2x the juniper as in normal gin. The spiciness and bite of rye is present and welcome. Oh, and pretty freaking delicious.
Dry Rye Manhattan
- 1.5 oz St. George Spirits Dry Rye Gin
- 1 oz sweet vermouth (I used my trusty Caprano Antica, but I think a less complex vermouth would suit this better and not overpower the gin)
- few shakes of bitters
- amaro cherry (because they are delicious)
Combine all ingredients, except cherry in a glass with ice. Stir for about a minute until thoroughly chilled. Strain into a chilled low ball glass.* Pop the cherry in.
*Do you like my glass? Yeah you do. Mid 1960s. Picked a set up in a Palm Springs thrift shop last month.
