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McKinley's Delight

Classic/vintage · Nightcap/sipping · Short and stirred

4.5 140 ratings

Ingredients

1 2/3 oz Rye whiskey 50% abv
5/6 oz Rosso/sweet vermouth
1/6 oz Cherry brandy
1 dash Absinthe

How to make

Serve in a coupe glass

Prepare

  1. 1 Select and pre-chill a COUPE GLASS.
  2. 2 Prepare garnish of lemon zest twist.

Method

  1. 3 STIR all ingredients with ice.
  2. 4 FINE STRAIN into chilled glass.

Garnish

  1. 5 EXPRESS lemon zest twist over the cocktail and use as garnish.

Flavour profile

50.0% alc./vol. · 1.7 standard drinks · 167 calories

History

A cherry brandy influenced Sweet Manhattan with extra complexity from a dash of absinthe.

Adapted from an 1896 recipe created at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City, this cocktail was named for President McKinley and is featured in Albert Stevens Crockett's 1931 book, Old Waldorf Bar Days. The recipe is listed as: MCKINLEY'S DELIGHT*. One dash Absinthe, Two dashes Cherry Brandy, Two-thirds Whiskey, One-third Italian Vermuth. Stir; strain.