Cocktail Manhattan

The origins of this cocktail go so far back that it's tough to trust anyone who says they created it. The original name was Whiskey Cocktail as it reflected the characteristics of the classic cocktail formula laid down in 1806; spirit, sugar, water and bitters The proliferation of new liqueurs available to bartenders from the 1870s resulted in a treadmill of new 'improved' Whiskey Cocktails... but which also led to a revolt amongst those who yearned for the original drink. Hence the Old Fashioned Whiskey Cocktail.

This story begins in Paris Harry’s Bar where the famous barman Harry McElhone invented this cocktail for Erksine Gwynne. Thanks to Gwynne the Boulevardier cocktail became famous, because he cited it in his “Barflies and Cocktails” published in 1927.Erskine Gwynne was famous because he was the grandson he magnate Alfred Vanderbilt and because he founded a monthly magazine called "Boulevardier”.

It is believed that the whiskey sour was created by the Englishman Elliott Stubb who, having landed in the port of Iquique (at the time belonging to the State of Peru) in the year 1872, opened a bar and experimenting with different aperitifs came to mix the native "limon de pica "with Whiskey and sugar, creating a perfect mix between the Anglo-Saxon style and the South American fruit. In fact, this cocktail is already mentioned in the famous book by Jerry Thomas of 1862 "How to Mix Drinks: The Bon-vivant's Companion", albeit with a slightly different recipe. Whiskey sour, despite having a steel soul, is an enveloping and seductive cocktail, with a precise and clear flavor, with the caramelized and smoky aromas of bourbon that are refreshed by the aromatic charge of lemon.

This classic twist on combine with elegance the intense and spicy flavour typical of bourbon, the sweet vanilla and finally the elegant and aromatic coffee. Vanilla, due to its soft and sweet taste, perfectly mix the honey and slightly smoky aromas of oak wood and the bitter and pungent tones of coffee.It results in a unique and original cocktail with a sweet vanilla smell. As soon as it is tasted, it leaves the palate a sensation of warmth caused both by the strong character of bourbon and by the robust and toasted notes of coffee.