About 2 weeks ago if you asked me if I even liked bourbon, much less drank it on the regular, I'd tell you emphatically "no way"!! But then my husband came home with the most magical liquor called Luxardo and now I cannot get enough of his Manhattans. I can't tell you how many times I've tasted his Manhattan and just cringed but this magical ingredient, Luxardo, has converted me and it will change your world as well!
Luxardo liquor originated in Croatia in the early 1800's and was made from the maraschino cherry (see cherry commentary below) pits. The distillery was eventually moved to Italy in the early 1900's which is where many people mistakenly associate its origins. Besides having a recipe that has stood the test of time, you'll still find fifth and sixth generation Luxardo family members running the distillery! How's that for a family business? You can get a longer history lesson here if you are interested.
Cherry note: PLEASE do not confuse these marachino cherries with the jarred, food-dyed cherries you find in the grocery store now...marachino cherries came from a special type of cherry called the Marsaca cherry that isn't grown in the United States. After these imported cherries became super popular in the United States, people began preserving their own cherries in things like almond extract and eventually the marachino cherry as we know it today evolved. But, thankfully it is easy enough to get Luxardo cherries today (can we say Amazon?!) although you will find them to be much more expensive than the grocery store version. But let me tell you, it is a) worth the splurge and b) they last a long time.
Without futher adieu, here is my husband's version of a Manhattan:
The Jack Jones Manhattan
1.5 jiggers of bourbon
.5 jigger Luxardo
1 jigger Vermouth (use the good kind - it makes a difference)
dash of bitters
splash of Luxardo cherry juice and a Luxardo cherry (or two!)
Oh, and just one of these Manhattan's will do ya ;)
Cheers!
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