Kick off the new year with a cocktail you won’t be able to resist!   The first time I made, and drank eastern manhattans, was three years ago on New Years Eve; time flies when you’re having fun!  A dear friend’s husband introduced the recipe to me, who at the time was my bourbon expert, as I was new to the bourbon game.  We were all celebrating the holidays in Sun Valley and in true New Years style had to make a signature cocktail.

We made a few batches of eastern manhattans that day and threw them in the freezer. Yes the freezer, all day long, because the colder the better. Since this cocktail is 100% liquor, it doesn’t freeze, rather it thickens and becomes a syrupy-greatness. In my opinion, it’s the only way to serve an eastern manhattan.

Needless to say, the drinks were a hit!  Every single one was drank, we rang in the New Year with lots of laughs and the next morning every one felt like they had had a little too much fun.  No doubt, thanks to those eastern manhattans. Why?  They go down so easy.  The mix of smooth bourbon, cut by the sweetness of ginger liqueur with the lightness of dry sake, it’s no wonder how one could get in trouble with these after just taking a sip.  Even the non-bourbon lover ends up falling for these deceptively delicious drinks!

So, proceed with caution, because if you like bourbon, or are even so-so on bourbon, you’re going to find yourself storing jars of eastern manhattans in your freezer to pull out after a bad day or just for the heck of it!

Eastern Manhattan | makes 1 drink

• 2 oz bourbon
• 1 oz ginger liqueur, I recommend Domaine de Canton
• 1/2 oz dry sake, I recommend Gekkeikan Sake
• twist of lemon

1 batch | makes 8 drinks

• 2 cups bourbon
• 1 cup Ginger Canton
• 1/2 cup Dry Sake
• 8 twists of lemon

For this recipe you can use bourbon or whiskey, but most importantly pick a decent one.  It should be something you wouldn’t mind sipping on the rocks, but not your first choice.  If you are using bourbon, I recommend Buffalo Trace’s Eagle Rare Bourbon Whiskey and if you prefer whiskey, then I have been partial to Fremont Mischief’s John Jacob Rye Whiskey lately.  First, pour the bourbon in a small measuring cup for a single drink or a large measuring cup for a batch.  Next add the ginger liqueur and then the dry sake.  I recommend making your eastern manhattans ahead of time, so you can put them in the freezer to get them really cold before serving.  Once you have mixed your drinks, pour them into jars and place in the freezer.  If you are in a time crunch, the more jars you can split your manhattans between the quicker they will chill.  For the best results, make these a day ahead, so you can serve these so cold they are syrupy!  When you are ready to serve your cocktails, grab your favorite glasses, I like a coupe. (If you’re really on your A game, throw your glasses in the freezer for a few minutes too)!  Squeeze your twist of lemon peel around the bottom of the glass and then place the twist of lemon on the rim of the glass.  Take your eastern manhattans out of the freezer, fill your coupe and serve!  Everyone will be hooked!