I’m a fan of the variation, and this drink is just that — a variation of one of the most popular drinks of all time. I’ve always been a rum fan but usually only when diluted with tart or sweet or tonic. The few times I’ve drunk good rum by itself, on the rocks or straight, it has affected me very strongly, and I’ve wound up in drunken situations that can still make me wince if remembered. So, it’s with my strong rum experiences, that I warn you, while tasty, complex, and easily drinkable, I stop after one with a Rum Manhattan. You may not have the same reactions with the cane pulp spirit, so knock yourself out. Here’s a great recipe I recently read in the Washington Post by noted writer and drinker, Jason Wilson.

Here we go –

• 2 oz aged rum (I’m a huge fan of The Appleton Estate Extra 12 year)
• 1 oz sweet vermouth
• ½ tsp maraschino liqueur (I use a full tsp; I like the taste)
• 1-2 dashes of orange bitters

Mix above ingredients with plenty of ice in a glass pitcher or mixing glass. Stir till icy cold. Strain up into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with an orange peel twist.

Cocktail Recipes, Rum.