A while back, I went to the Mermaid Inn on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. There I had a drink called The Gotham, a Manhattan derivative. While the drink list gave me the ingredients, I wasn’t convincing enough to get the recipe from the bartender. After playing with it a bit, though, I think I’ve recreated it. Or, at least, created something really good using the same ingredients. I’ll still refer to it as The Gotham. It’s a cool and appropriate name.
This is yet another Manhattan derivative. We’ve discussed other Manhattan-like cocktails before, the Best. Manhattan. Evar, the Upper West Side, the San Genarro, the Williamsburg Cocktail and to some extent, the Brooklyn. The reason this is such a popular drink is that it’s a perfect cool weather cocktail. The Rye (or, sometimes Bourbon) cuts through the chill and the mixers have a strong enough taste to make the drink full and satisfying.
The Gotham replaces the Angostura bitters used in a regular Manhattan with Campari. I also use Carpano Antica sweet vermouth for it’s unusual but combination of herbal flavors. Finally, I adjust the quantity of the mixers – the Campari is pretty strong, so the drink needs a little re-balancing.
- 3 oz Rye (I used Bulleit)
- 3/4 oz Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth
- 1/4 oz Campari
- At least one Luxardo cherry as a garnish
Pour the liquid ingredients in an ice-filled shaker. Shake well and dispense in an old-fashioned (aka low-ball) glass. Add the Luxardi and enjoy.
The Gotham is a hefty drink that will completely remove any chill in the night air. Yes, 4 oz is larger than the standard drink, but if you don’t make ’em a bit large, you’ll be going back to the bar more often than you need to.
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