What we're sipping this week - a Scanhattan

We had a super fun little party to celebrate the launch of our first aged product - our Voyageur Cognac-cask finished Aquavit - last weekend out my family friend's bar in Esko, MN. It was such a gorgeous time, with the most wonderful company, fantastic food, and of course lots of aquavit drinks.  One of the drinks I made for the evening was a simple aquavit-based take on a Manhattan, which I have called at various times the Kaupang (a large viking settlement that was in southern Norway.  Get it, it's like a viking Mahattan, heehee.) or a Scanhattan, which I think has, well, more of a ring to it.

Anyway, it's a, slinky, sophisticated little number that I'm really falling in love with.  I find it a particularly nice cooking companion :).  

Look, it's a cocktail served up, yet on the rocks.  Cocktail joke! Ha!

Now, I never really liked Manhattans until I tried one made with a ration of 2 1/2 oz whiskey to just 3/4 oz of vermouth.  Then, suddenly it clicked.  The vermouth was there to augment the base spirit, not overpower it.  The drink is boozy, for sure, but in a nice, balanced, highly drinkable way.  So, that's the ratio I used for this aquavit Manhattan, or Scanhattan, or whatever, too.

the Kaupang - a Scanhattan

  • 2 1/2 oz Vikre Voyageur cognac-caske finished Aquavit   
  • 3/4 oz sweet vermouth - my personal fave with our aquavit is Cocchi  Vermouth di Torrino
  • 2 dashes of aromatic bitters - we use our house made cherry-hazelnut bitters, but you could use angostura, or whatever is your favorite aromatic bitter
  • a boozy cherry for garnish (we use aquavit soaked febree cherries. you could also use brandied cherries, or even a good maraschino cherry)
  1. Stir all ingredients with ice until well chilled, then strain into a cocktail glass.  Garnish with a boozy cherry.
What we're sipping this week - a Scanhattan
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A ratio to remember - 2: 3/4: 3/4

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The Old Fashioned - a little history and a lot of inspiration