Barrel Aged Manhattan Recipe

Name: Foxcroft Food & Wine - Raleighs Barrel Aged Manhattan Recipe
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 1 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 oz Knob Creek Rye Whiskey; 1 oz House-blended Sweet Vermouth (see note); 2 dashes Angostura Bitters; 1 each Luxardo cherry (or brandied cherry); 1 each Orange peel (zest); 1 each Small oak aging barrel (or oak spiral); 8 oz Additional Knob Creek Rye Whiskey for barrel top-up; 4 oz Additional House-blended Sweet Vermouth for barrel top-up; 10 dashes Angostura Bitters for barrel batch (optional); 12 oz Sweet red vermouth (base, e.g., Carpano Antica or Cocchi); 1 tbs Dried orange peel; 1 tsp Cubes of sugar (or 1 tsp simple syrup); 1 tbs Dried cherry or cherry syrup; 0.5 each Cinnamon stick; 2 each Whole cloves; 0.25 each Vanilla bean (split) or 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Inspired by Foxcroft Food & Wine - Raleigh

Time1h

Serves1

knob creek rye, house-blended sweet vermouth, angostura bitters

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Ingredients

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Cocktail Base

2 oz Knob Creek Rye Whiskey

1 oz House-blended Sweet Vermouth (see note)

2 dashes Angostura Bitters

Finishing & Garnish

1 each Luxardo cherry (or brandied cherry)

1 each Orange peel (zest)

Optional Barrel Aging (makes a small batch, ~6-8 drinks)

1 each Small oak aging barrel (or oak spiral)

8 oz Additional Knob Creek Rye Whiskey for barrel top-up

4 oz Additional House-blended Sweet Vermouth for barrel top-up

10 dashes Angostura Bitters for barrel batch (optional)

House-blended Sweet Vermouth (makes ~12 oz)

12 oz Sweet red vermouth (base, e.g., Carpano Antica or Cocchi)

1 tbs Dried orange peel

1 tsp Cubes of sugar (or 1 tsp simple syrup)

1 tbs Dried cherry or cherry syrup

1/2 each Cinnamon stick

2 each Whole cloves

1/4 each Vanilla bean (split) or 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Method

House-blended Sweet Vermouth

Infuse vermouth

Place 12 oz sweet red vermouth in a clean jar. Add dried orange peel, dried cherry (or cherry syrup), cinnamon stick, whole cloves and the split vanilla bean (or vanilla extract). Add the cube of sugar or 1 tsp simple syrup and stir to combine.

Seal the jar and let steep at room temperature for 24–48 hours, tasting after 24 hours. When flavor is balanced (orange and cherry forward, spice present but not dominant), strain through a fine mesh or coffee filter into a clean bottle. Refrigerate. Yields ~12 oz.

Optional Barrel Aging (small batch)

If aging: fill a small sanitized oak barrel (or jar with an oak spiral) with 8 oz Knob Creek rye and 4 oz house-blended sweet vermouth. Add 10 dashes Angostura bitters if you want the barrel to carry more bitter spice. Seal and roll the barrel daily to oxygenate and encourage wood contact.

Taste the blend after 24 hours and then every 12–24 hours. Typical aging time for noticeable barrel character is 3–7 days for small barrels or spirals; remove from barrel and bottle when the desired oakiness is reached. This yields a bottled pre-blended Barrel Aged Manhattan concentrate sufficient for ~6–8 cocktails (use 2:1 whiskey:vermouth by the recipe).

Cocktail Build

Chill: Place a coupe or Nick & Nora glass in the freezer or fill with ice water to chill while you prepare the drink.

Measure: In a mixing glass, add 2 oz Knob Creek rye (if using barrel-aged batch, use 2 oz of the aged blend), 1 oz house-blended sweet vermouth and 2 dashes Angostura bitters.

Stir: Fill the mixing glass with large ice cubes. Stir gently and consistently for 20–30 seconds (about 20–25 full turns) until the mix is well chilled and slightly diluted — the glass should feel cold and the liquid slightly thickened from dilution.

Strain: Dump ice from the chilled serving glass. Double-strain the cocktail from the mixing glass into the chilled coupe or rocks glass (use a Hawthorne and fine strainer if you infused vermouth with small particles).

Garnish: Express the orange peel over the drink by holding it with the outer skin facing down and giving it a firm twist to release oils across the surface. Wipe the peel around the rim if desired, then drop the peel into the glass. Skewer and add one Luxardo cherry to the drink.

Serve immediately.