Place your coupe or rocks glass in the freezer or fill it with ice and set aside while you build the cocktail to ensure the final drink is nicely chilled.

Combine ingredients

In a mixing glass add 2 oz rye whiskey, 1 oz sweet vermouth, 3 dashes Angostura bitters and, if using, 1 dash orange bitters.

Add ice and stir

Fill the mixing glass with large ice. Stir the mixture with a bar spoon for 20–30 seconds (about 20–30 back-and-forth strokes) until well chilled and slightly diluted — the liquid should be cold and slightly viscous.

Prepare serving glass

Discard the ice from your chilled glass if you used it to chill, or retrieve the chilled coupe/rocks from the freezer.

Strain

Using a hawthorne or julep strainer, strain the stirred cocktail into the chilled coupe or over a single large ice cube in a rocks glass, depending on your preferred presentation.

Garnish and finish

Garnish with one Luxardo or brandied cherry dropped into the drink. Optionally express a twist of orange peel over the surface and discard or rub on the glass rim for extra aroma.

Serve

Serve immediately. Sip slowly to appreciate the balance of rye spice, sweet vermouth, and the aromatic bitters.

Tools & cleanup

Rinse and dry your mixing glass, bar spoon, jigger, and strainer. Return unused bitters and vermouth to storage. Clean workspace.