A playful alternative to a classic Manhattan: Constitution's Smoking Gun cocktail. Photo furnished by Constitution
At Constitution, we love to riff off the classics. Smoking Gun, one of our signature cocktails, is a take on the Manhattan and offers a playful alternative to the classic nightcap. The split base of Rittenhouse Rye and Mellow Corn Whiskey blend beautifully and provide a strong 100-proof foundation for this cocktail. We then add a touch of Grind Espresso Liqueur for subtle sweetness and coffee notes. Orange and cardamom bitters draw out hints of baking spices, which absolutely smell divine when combined with the aroma of the flamed orange oil and toasted dehydrated orange.
Ingredients:
• 1 ounce Rittenhouse Rye
• 1 ounce Mellow Corn Whiskey
• ½ ounce Grind Espresso Liqueur
• 1 dash orange bitters
• 1 dash cardamom bitters
• 1 drop saline*
• Garnish: fresh orange peel and
dehydrated orange wheel
Method:
Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker.
Add ice and stir for 30 seconds. Use a straw to capture some of the drink, to assess dilution level; if desired, stir for another 5-10 seconds. Strain into a chilled glass (preferably a Nick & Nora).
In one hand, hold the orange peel with the orange side facing the cocktail, and in the other, a kitchen torch or a lit match.
Squeeze the peel to spritz the orange oils through the flame onto the surface of the cocktail.
Lightly toast the dehydrated orange wheel with a kitchen torch or lit match and float on the drink. Enjoy!
*We salt our cocktails for the same reason you salt your food! To make saline for your cocktails, dissolve salt in water in a 20:80 ratio by weight.
Editor's Note: Constitution is a Prohibition-style speakeasy located in downtown Lexington at 109 Constitution St. specializing in carefully curated cocktails.
The Smoking Gun cocktail. Photo furnished by Constitution