Aging this delicious Manhattan cocktail in an oak barrel for a month develops its smooth, deep flavor. Slideshow: Reinvented Classic Cocktails
How to Make It
If the barrel is new and dry inside, fill it with water and let stand until watertight, about 24 hours. Drain.
Using a funnel, fill the barrel with all of the liquid ingredients. Let age, tasting a sample once a week, until the cocktail has taken on a rounded but not overly oaky flavor, about 1 month.
Strain the cocktail through a coffee filter–lined funnel into a glass container and store indefinitely.
To serve, pour 3 ounces into an ice-filled cocktail shaker and stir until chilled. Strain the drink into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a twist.
Notes
You can find 1-, 2-, 3- and 5-liter barrels at tuthilltown.com ($60 to $96). For barrels larger than 1 liter, multiply each aged cocktail recipe proportionately.
