When I tell people I love Rye Whiskey they usually look at me in wonderment. Isn't Scotch or at least Bourbon the whiskey of choice they ask. I say no, I'm a Rye man. I love it because It carries a 60's panache, a time when men drank Old Fashioneds, Manhattans, and serious Gin Martini's.
This particular Rye, Michter's US1 Single Barrel, carries an even older history. It is made by a recipe of a distiller who produced Rye in America since 1753.Rye cocktails have been making a big come back. Consider the "Sully" a version of the classic Manhattan created in honor of Capt. Chesley B. Sullenberger III who gracefully landed his US Airways jetliner with 155 people aboard on the Hudson river last year. NY Times "Make Mine a Sully".
The Times reports in another article "A Good Decade to Have a Drink" on the vivid revival of cocktail creations and delivers a great Old Fashioned recipe.
Michter's US1 is a great Rye. It is made with select American rye grain which they shear open to allow a full saturation of flavor during fermentation. The Whiskey is carefully aged in a heated warehouse. so by the time is reaches you it has deep compelling flavors of light spice, black pepper, brown marmalade and plum, with distinct spicy grain and tasty caramel.
It is great straight up, but I like it in cocktails.
My version of an Old Fashioned goes like this:
1. A good rocks glass, I picked up some nice ones at Home Goods for a song. A nice heavy, good looking glass is essential.
2. Good sized 1 1/2" x 2", or larger well frozen cubes. I make mine with spring water. The little semi circle things that come out of your ice maker just won't cut it. They melt to fast.
3. 2 shots of a good Rye, Michter's, R1, or Ritenhouse will do.
4. 1/2 to 3/4 oz of Cointreau Orange Liqueur
5. Splash of Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur.
6. A touch of Stirrings Blood Orange Bitters.
7. Quick squeeze of lemon.
Stir well, sit back and enjoy.
Things to do, places to see, with food and booze
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