On the Storage of Vermouth (and other things you weren't wondering)

A year and a half ago we were imbibing at Bryant's and were informed that the reason they were so liberal in their usage of vermouth*^ was that they stored it properly, that is, refrigerated it.  This revelation,

quite literally, changed the way we're drinking cocktails.  No more the 'vermouth splash' (where you set some vermouth {on the rocks} in your martini glass while you're shaking your gin or vodka, then dump it out), no more vermouth spritzer (i seriously considered buying this product when it was in the "gold box" one time), rather we were once again enjoying the vermouth in our cocktails.

Since that time, we've been enjoying martinis, old fashions, Manhattans (see right), and Rusty Nails (well, no, who drinks Rusty Nails...) with full vermouth-y-ness.

Even with this newfound appreciation for Vermouth, we've discovered an improvement (or at least a worthy variation) on the classic Manhattan (also works for an Old Fashioned).  This cocktail is pilfered, then re-imagined, from the specials board at the Sir Francis Drake Hotel, San Francisco (home of absurdly small rooms, and actually quite nice service).

Port Manhattan


3 Parts Bourbon
1 Part Port
1-2 dash bitters
maraschino cherry garnish

Shake bourbon, port, and bitters together over ice.  Pour either over ice or up.  Add cherry (it's good).


What this cocktail hits on is a soft sweetening of a classic 'drunk's drink'.  Manhattan's are generally drinks for people who are serious about serious drinking, but who still want a pleasing flavor.  This variation allows a wider audience to enjoy the same basic flavor or the Manhattan, but in a (marginally) sweeter form.



* Vermouth [ver-mooth]: –noun

an aromatized white wine which sorta tastes like ass.  It may include flavors from herbs, roots, barks, bitters, and other flavorings have been steeped.  Flavor is best captured in the description "an ape hair liquor".

^ Paideia Jack once drank dry vermouth straight out of our bottle when he crashed a cast party (circa Fall 1998, methinks).  Shortly thereafter he absconded with Joel Miron's hatchet, Miron then chased him down the stairs, suggesting PJ ought to return said tool/weapon because it had been a gift from his parents.  I think there was a moment where PJ wielded the parental gift against Miron, which he then took away from PJ, somehow.