An easy, refreshing recipe. The Ben Hanten
(use a smaller glass, or add more bourbon!)
I’m a big fan of a lot of different alcohol styles, especially beer, Scotch, bourbon, and, to a lesser extent, rum. That means most of my drinks are mixed with nothing at all; either a draft beer, or a cocktail that consists of nothing but Bourbon and ice. However, there are times where adding other ingredients takes your drink to another level (although it’s hard to beat what Oban and Knob Creek offer right out of the bottle). So here’s a very simple one for you.
- Fill a lowball with ice.
- Add 2 ounces of bourbon; use Jim Beam or better.
- Squeeze all the juice from half a lemon. No seeds, please.
- Squeeze all the juice from about 1/3 of an orange.
- Do not garnish.
- Stir.
I’m sure there is a named recipe out there for this awesome drink, but I don’t know what it is. So until we discover what that might be, we’re calling it the Ben Hanten, as was suggested by someone on Friend Feed. And if you want to make it double the awesome, add two dashes of Angostura bitters.
Update: I found something somewhat similar called the Bourbon Squash over at Trader Tiki. Do yourself a favor, though: skip the sugar, make the bourbon more of a feature, and add a few dashes of bitters. That’s the Ben Hanten.
So damn cool… Jim Beam’s premium Rye (rī)1
This is one of the newer products I’m totally excited about. We received our first bottle of (rī)1 yesterday, which is an ultra premium rye made by Jim Beam. (rī)1 is not to be confused with Jim Beam Straight Rye; they are different in taste, look, and cost.
My early trials found that it’s best with a couple cubes of ice, or served neat in a chilled glass. Beam talks about the different flavor profiles for each serving method:
Bottled at 92 proof, (rī)1 features a light, slightly spicy flavor and a long, luxurious finish. Straight, the nose offers a gentle, peppery nod to its rye heritage. Cut with water, the scents of dried fruit and cinnamon push to the front, providing a rich palate experience.
The classic Manhattan has become bastardized over time, much as the martini has. These days, you are likely to find brandy, cherry juice, and sweet vermouth masquerading as a Manhattan. At my bar, we always offer the option of bourbon or brandy; now with (rī)1 we will be offering Rye as the preferred base ingredient.
Here is Beam’s Manhattan recipe:
2 parts (rī)1
1 part sweet vermouth
2 dashes Angostura® Bitters
1 dash orange bitters
In a pint mixing glass, add spirits and bitters. Fill glass ¾ full of ice and stir swiftly for 20 seconds (30 second for larger ice cubes). Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon twist and cherry.