The Manhattan and Margarita

(This post is part of a series that I’m using to help write my next book, the new edition of 100 Classic Cocktails, and provide inspiration for home bartenders in these times of social distancing. Some of the recipes are ones I’m trying to workshop, and I’m asking my readers to test the recipes at home if able and send me their thoughts on the questions I have. Others are ones I think I’ve nailed that can be easily made with common household ingredients, and I’m sharing them to help my readers keep their spirits up while spending a lot more time at home than usual. I’ll always specify which is which. For more background on all of this, including the book, you can check out the first post in the series here. All posts will be tagged “(100) Classic Cocktails”.)

I had planned to write most of these up as single-drink posts, but I’m doing at least this one more as a twofer, if only for the chance to make a punning allusion to a classic of Russian literature.

And guess what? This one’s actually short!

Pay no attention to the Cognac behind the curtain.

[The] Manhattan
1 3/4 oz. 100º Rye or 2 oz. 80º Rye
1 oz. Sweet Vermouth
2 ds. Angostura Bitters

Combine ingredients in a mixing glass and stir with ice. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a brandied or maraschino cherry.

The Mahnattan is today’s Quarantine Cocktail, and was the first beneficiary of the conclusion I described in the math section of yesterday’s post, that if you want to substitute a roughly 100º whiskey for a roughly 80º whiskey, you should reduce your pour by a quarter of an ounce in order for the recipe to hold. My higher-proof rye was leaving my Manhattans a bit too hot at a fairly standard 2:1 ratio, so I did some calculations and came up with this substitution. It’s proving to be a godsend for a man in a house full of high-proof liquor.

That brings us to today’s Question Cocktail:

[and] Margarita
2 oz. Blanco Tequila OR 1 1/2 oz. Blanco Tequila
1/2 oz. Orange Liqueur*
1/2 oz. Lime Juice

Shake with ice. Double-strain into a chilled (and, optionally, salted) cocktail or Margarita glass.

Though easy to learn and an unimpeachable classic, the Margarita is hard to master. Not only does tequila vary widely, but your choice of orange liqueur has more of an impact on the end result than is the case with many other drinks. And as I learned the other day while working on the Jasmine, my bottle not be the most representative example.

I was actually able to get this one tested with a group of people before the coronavirus outbreak, but it resulted in a split decision: some felt it was balanced better with 1 1/2 oz. of tequila, and others felt it was better with 2.

So today’s assignment, at least for those who are able to make the Margarita, is to try it once with 2 oz. of tequila, once with 1 1/2 oz. of tequila, and send me your findings, along with the names of the tequila and liqueur brands you’re using. For the rest of you, stay healthy, and remember that many of your local liquor stores are still delivering through Drizly!

(See? I told you it was short!)

Notes

(*) While there are technically distinctions to be drawn between triple sec, curaçao, and the like (and there certainly were historically), contemporary product labelling is a jumbled mess. Don’t confuse yourself needlessly. When a recipe calls for anything like this, “orange liqueur” is what is meant in practice. Any sweetened distillate flavored with oranges and bottled at 40% alcohol by volume or less can be used. Whether a given such distillate should be used, or how the recipe should be altered to accommodate its employment, are questions that only experience or experimentation can answer.