Recipe

• 2oz bourbon (I used Eagle Rare)
• 1oz Amaro Averna
• Dash of Angostura bitters
• Dash of orange bitters

Stir all ingredients with ice and strain into a coupe. Garnish with an expressed orange peel and brandied cherry.

About

If you’re a fan of regular Manhattans, you’ve got to give this interesting variation a try. This cocktail originated from San Francisco’s own beloved speakeasy Bourbon and Branch, and combines bourbon with Amaro Averna (replacing sweet vermouth). The choice of the amaro, which is a bittersweet liqueur traditionally drank post-dinner to aid digestion, in this brings extra complexity to the drink while retaining the sweetness and herbal qualities you’d get from the vermouth.

The color is deep and mysterious, and the taste is delicious and inviting. The cola-like notes in the Averna latch on the smooth bourbon whiskey, bringing you a balanced spirit-forward drink you could sip on all night (though I’m sure it won’t last you that long ;))