As intoxicating as hugging someone you love but getting squeezed back harder than you squeezed them.

I like to make a vermouth-heavy Manhattan for two reasons: vermouth is awesome (if you don’t think so, let me change your mind) and you can have more than one without getting sloppy. I prefer a Spanish vermouth called La Piv on because it’s both richly nuanced yet easy to drink. I also prefer a barrel-strength rye so I recommend Union Horse as I am a huge fan girl for this grain to glass distillery out of Kansas City. Let’s talk bitters. As a bartender’s salt and pepper, you only need a little but it makes all the difference. Check out Winship Bitters. Locally crafted and very delicious. I like the Old Fashioned flavor, but I experiment with their Hibiscus or Wormwood options in this recipe as well.