I’ve known our friend and bartender, Damon, for many years and he’s never one to follow the rules. You’ll never see him make a riff on any classic cocktail because all his cocktails are totally unique.
I’m a fan of variations. It’s a way to switch up your routine while staying true to the flavors you know and love. This variation - a riff on a black manhattan - packs a lot of flavor into 3 ingredients. Which, makes this cocktail easy enough to produce at the end of any exhausting day.
This recipe works equally well as a cocktail or mocktail. You can make the base syrup up to two weeks ahead and it will make enough to keep all your party guests happy. And, once the syrup is made, putting together the rest is a snap.
