Smoked Cherry Vanilla Manhattan
A deep, smoky Manhattan variation with rich cherry and smooth vanilla undertones, perfect for contemplative sipping. This recipe, ready in about 8 minutes, brings together rye whiskey, cherry liqueur, sweet vermouth for a refreshing, crowd-pleasing drink — a bright, easy pour for parties, gatherings, or any warm-weather afternoon when you want something festive without alcohol-only options. Each serving lands at about 190 calories and feeds 1, so it works for entertaining, brunch, or a non-alcoholic option at the bar cart. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 2 oz rye whiskey
- 0.5 oz cherry liqueur
- 0.75 oz sweet vermouth
- 2 dashes vanilla bitters
- 1 large ice cube
- 1 for garnish luxardo cherry
- 1 thin strip orange peel
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Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: Fill a mixing glass with ice and pour 2 oz rye whiskey, 0.5 oz cherry liqueur, 0.75 oz sweet vermouth, and 2 dashes vanilla bitters.
- Step 2: Stir gently with a bar spoon for 30 seconds until the mixture is well chilled without excess dilution.
- Step 3: Strain into a chilled coupe glass.
- Step 4: Using a smoking gun or smoked glass technique, infuse the cocktail briefly with wood smoke, then cover with a glass dome if possible to trap the aroma.
- Step 5: Garnish with a Luxardo cherry skewered on a cocktail pick and a thin orange peel twisted over the surface then rested on the rim.
