There’s nothing like the chilly frost-nipped days of midwinter to awaken our obsession for rye whiskey, and what better way to enjoy it than in a delicious cocktail? Some of our favorite types of cocktails to create are variations on classic rye cocktails such as the Manhattan, Old Fashioned, Whiskey Sour and the Sazerac. These classics can serve as templates and provide inspiration for creating nuanced mouth-watering variants.

So, how does the cocktail creating process work? Well, when conceiving of a new cocktail we first like to think about the base spirit...here, it’s rye. Rye is a robust, spicy, and substantial spirit that can lend itself beautifully to sweet, bitter and herbaceous modifiers. Most bars certainly don’t lack an abundance of befitting options. Here with Les Verges, we’re modifying the rye with sweet, bitter and herbaceous elements, all are certainly not necessary but these flavors work quite well together. Please stir one up for yourself and enjoy…cheers!

LES VERGES

2 oz. Rittenhouse bonded Rye
.75 oz. Dolin Sweet Vermouth
.75 oz. Punt E Mes
3 dashes St. George Absinthe
2 dashes of Peychaud’s Bitters
1 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice and then strain into a chilled coup. Garish with three brandied cherries on a pick.