Angel's Share
A lovely homage to the Manhattan. Personally, a Manhattan is my “go-to” beverage of choice when I happen to find myself in a bar that doesn’t present a cocktail menu. So, perhaps I’m biased. That being said, this particular iteration actually outshines the usual American whiskey, sweet vermouth, aromatic bitters and preserved cherry recipe. What I particularly like about the Angel’s Share is the more citrus forward attitude from the orange bitters and the lemon twist*.
The Creme de Cassis is so subtle as to be completely in the background. However, what this does is replace the tiny amount of cherry flavor that you get when using a maraschino, especially a Luxardo cherry in syrup.
I would suggest this recipe as printed works best as a light pre-dinner cocktail. For a more substantial version, just multiply the amounts by 150% (or 1.5).
*Whenever using a fresh-cut twist (as they all should be), make sure to rub the rim of the glass with the citrus oils on the rind before dropping it into the glass.
Angel’s Share
1.5 oz bourbon
0.5 oz amaro ( I used Ramazzotti)
0.25 oz creme de cassis
1 dash orange bitters
Garnish: lemon twist
Stir with ice and strain into chilled cocktail glass. Add lemon twist.
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