Cacao Manhattan Recipe

Chill glass

Place a coupe or martini glass in the freezer or fill it with ice water to chill while you prepare the cocktail.

Add 2 oz Stranahan's Barrel, 1 oz sweet vermouth, 3 dashes cacao bitters and 1 dash orange bitters to a mixing glass.

Fill the mixing glass with large ice cubes to just above the liquid level (roughly 4–6 large cubes).

Stir the mixture gently for 30–45 seconds (or about 20–30 full slow turns) until well chilled and properly diluted. Aim for the cocktail to be cold and slightly viscous, around 20–25°F cooler than the starting liquids.

Discard the ice or water from the chilled coupe/martini glass.

Strain the stirred cocktail through a fine julep or Hawthorne strainer into the chilled coupe, yielding a clear, silky drink served up.

Lightly toast the dehydrated orange wheel over a gas flame or with a kitchen torch for 2–4 seconds per side to awaken oils and add a faint smoky note; be careful not to burn — you want light browning and warmth, not char.

Float the toasted dehydrated orange wheel on the surface of the cocktail or place it on the rim, slightly angled for presentation.

Serve a dark chocolate square on a small side plate with the coupe, or gently rest the chocolate on the rim so the guest can nibble between sips. The chocolate complements the cacao bitters and adds a bitter-sweet finish.

Present immediately and enjoy.