It's Monday, which means it's Manhattan night (it's a rule.) However, I'm at home tonight so I thought I'd try something a little different. I broke out the bottle of Arkansas Black Applejack I got at the Craft Spirits a couple of months back to make what I'm calling the Big Apple. This is a Manhattan-variation which swaps out the whiskey for applejack, but otherwise keeps the 2-1-2 proportions of the Manhattan. I went with Carpano Antica for the sweet vermouth, because I thought the cinnamon would go well in it, and I used the Napa Valley Apple Spice bitters. The result is pretty good, but not outstanding. It's a bit too apple (the applejack is a little hot at 98 proof) and could maybe use a more robust vermouth. I think I might try Punt e Mes next time and a different bitters, just to see how it goes. I'm going to enjoy this one right now though.

Recipe

The Manhattan recipe is just about as simple as simple can be.

Ingredients

2 oz Applejack -- I used Arkansas Black Applejack
1 oz Sweet Vermouth -- something a bit spicy goes well here
2 dashes Aromatic Bitters (I used the Napa Valley Bitters Apple Spice bitters here, which aren't an aromatic bitter but are pretty lovely.)

Directions

Put everything in a mixing glass and add ice
Stir for about 20 seconds or until chilled (Never, never shake a Manhattan. Never!)
Sstrain into a chilled cocktail glass.
Sip and listen to the sound of thunder in the background and wonder how you've suddenly been transported back to the East Coast.