The Manhattan Cocktail Bottling Note
The 2012 Manhattan is made using a rye-rich bourbon, a blend of 3 vermouths and some truly superb bitters, this Bottled Manhattan has been expertly blended in ultra-small batches by those handsome devils at the Handmade Cocktail Company.
The concept of the ‘Vintage Cocktail’ range is simple – you get all the ingredients for a superb cocktail pre-mixed, all you have to do is pour it over ice, stir, then strain off into your glass and garnish (in this instance with a Maraschino Cherry of course). Each bottle carries a stamp showing its year of manufacture.
Top cocktail bars have served their own versions of Vintage Manhattans and Rob Roys for many years (going as far as to offer cocktails bottled in many different years) – you can now enjoy one in the comfort of your own home!
Nose: Peppery sweetness with herbal notes from the various vermouths included in the secret blend. There is thyme and sage in there, with as well as cherry and vanilla.
Palate: Lovely pepper and cherry notes that seem accentuated by the sweetness. It's still quite soft in the mouth and the vermouth provides a great counterpoint.
Finish: The bitters usurp the herbal tone from the vermouth on the finish and it's all balanced by a vanilla sweetness from the bourbon.
Overall: A Manhattan with added depth and flavour, that seems even larger than the sum of its parts. Delicious.