Sharkbait’s Cocktail of the Week: Juniors

Hello and happy Friday! I know I promised a makeup from last week’s over tired effort. I’m hoping this twist on a Manhattan serves as a decent placeholder. I’ve got my eye on a series of drinks I want to try and write about here, but unfortunately that’s for the next couple weeks. Why? Because the family is off to FOB: Cape Cod for the long weekend, and the bar there is less well stocked than at home, and between work and packing, I didn’t have the time to start what I want to do.

OK, enough teasing and complaining. This week is a simple twist on a Manhattan called the Manhattan Junior from the Waldorf Astoria Bar Book. It piqued my interest because it’s a Manhattan without bitters. That seems like a rather strange omission considering it’s a (to me anyway) integral part of the drink. Though if it’s good enough to have in the Waldorf bar book, then who am I to complain about a drink and it’s construction?

1.5 oz. Rittenhouse bonded rye whiskey

1.5 Carpano antica sweet vermouth

Add ingredients to a mixing glass. Add large ice cubes and stir for 30 seconds. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with an orange peel

Certainly smells like a lighter manhattan. I get some whiskey aromas, but much more sweet vermouth aromas are prevalent that I would have expected. Could be the better quality vermouth as well (thanks BFC!). I also get some orange mixed in there too.

That is a tasty drink. It is heavy on the whiskey, but the vermouth adds a nice underlying sweetness, cutting through the strong rye notes. I do think it’s a bit too much though. Your mileage may vary though. It’s certainly not off putting by any means. The mixture of rye and vermouth stays pretty constant throughout, and the finish leans towards the vermouth-y side. Those flavors outlast the rye on the palate by a few seconds or so. Nothing too bad, but it does linger. Enough that sips in quick succession could start to skew towards the ‘too sweet’ side.

I do like this, but my underlying question is…why? I get that this is a Manhattan riff, but bitters are such a small ingredient but they pack a ton of flavor that would only improve this drink. I guess this is the move if you A) don’t like angostura bitters, or B) are plain out of them. If I’m going through the trouble to measure out and make two thirds of a Manhattan, I’m gonna add the bitters every time.

(Banner image courtesy Matthew Tetrault Photography)