Holiday Manhattan with Bourbon Soaked Cherries

If there was ever a truly classic cocktail to speak of, it has to be the Manhattan.

A simple yet distinguished cocktail that requires only a few ingredients and has remained popular for nearly 150 years. The Manhattan is historic with an interesting background and that makes it fun! My bourbon loving husband will never turn down this classic. When our friends, Tammy and Dave, founders of MartiniHunter, gifted us their very own mix of bourbon soaked cherries, all my husband could think about was mixing up and creating his own little twist on this classic cocktail. Not only are cherries a favorite of his, but cherries are the customary garnish for Manhattans…but bourbon soaked? Bill was all in. To get started, you can use rye whiskey or bourbon. Rye gives you spicy notes of flavor while bourbon will be more sweet.

My Better Half has recently been experimenting with different ryes so he is sticking with the way this cocktail was originally crafted. And since the sweet vermouth along with a spoonful of The Martini Hunter’s sweet cherry juice will be added, rye will balance that out nicely.

Of course, a dash or two of bitters will add the finishing touch that brings the cocktail into a perfect balance.Aside from the beauty of the drink, I always appreciate how important a garnish can be and these cherries take the cake. With the addition of these sweet jarred cherries, I could get used to this concoction. The cherries are delicious, naturally-sweetened and I get to keep on enjoying them for a few more date nights at home. They pack a great kick of flavor that perfectly compliments the Manhattan.