Doyers Street

 

Story

There are a bunch of Manhattan variants named for the boroughs of New York City.  The Brooklyn is a classic one of these that combines rye whiskey and dry vermouth with an amaro and Maraschino liqueur.  The Doyers Street is a Brooklyn variation that uses a bitter orange amaro (Bigallet China China) and elderflower liqueur to create a drink that’s simultaneously familiar and beguiling.  There are notes of bitter orange and clove, caramel, grapefruit, and spice.  It was invented by Leo Robitschek, a James Beard award-winning bartender at the NoMad and other excellent New York bars.  This immediately became one of my favorite Manhattan variations.  It’s served on a rock of ice to temper its spiciness over time, but could just as easily be enjoyed up with a garnish.  Either way, I think it’s terrific.  Cheers!

Recipe

1.5 oz rye whiskey (Rittenhouse)
0.75 oz Dolin dry vermouth
0.5 oz Bigallet China China amer liqueur
0.25 oz St. Germain elderflower liqueur
2 dashes Angostura bitters
-stir ingredients with ice in a mixing glass
-strain into a rocks glass over one large ice cube.  No garnish.

1903

 

Story

We’ve got some experience in the Club with split-base cocktails, so it’s no surprise to see both cognac and apple brandy here.  But a split vermouth as well?  What is happening??  The 1903 cocktail was created by Death & Co veteran Jessica Gonzalez while she was the head bartender at the famous NoMad bar in New York (the bar is sadly now closed, another victim of the pandemic).  The NoMad bar was located in the fabulous-sounding NoMad hotel, a beautiful Beaux-Arts-style building built in (surprise!) 1903.  The cocktail is of course a Manhattan variation (base spirit plus sweet vermouth, served up).  As such, it’s a boozy drink that should be served cold and consumed before it warms up.  Cocchi Americano is technically an aromatized wine rather than a vermouth because it’s flavored with bitter quinine, but it’s used interchangeably with vermouth, most notably in a version of James Bond’s Vesper Martini (replacing Kina Lilet, which is no longer available).  The 1903 has notes of apple, grapefruit, apricot, and some other flavors that make it interesting to sort out.  My notes helpfully say, “I like it a lot.”  Cheers!

Recipe

1 oz cognac
1 oz Laird’s Bottled in Bond Apple Brandy
0.75 oz Cocchi Vermouth di Torino
0.75 oz Cocchi Americano
2 dashes grapefruit bitters
-Stir ingredients with ice.  Strain into chilled coupe or Nick & Nora glass.  No garnish.