Cocktails

True, but i just went by it's NAME which is:

Absolut Nutcracker Martini

another of her fav's is

Church Lady Martini


1 1/2 ozs vanilla vodka
1 1/2 ozs frangelico
1 1/2 ozs kahlua

Creamsicle

2 oz Cake Vodka
6 oz Orange Juice

We ended up with two bottles of sweet vermouth recently, and I had no idea what to do with it. So I research the interwebs and found out the Manhattan seems to be the common use for it:

2 parts bourbon
1 part sweet vermouth
1-2 dashes bitters
Garnish with maraschino cherry

Add contents to mixing vessel with ice and stir, strain into a martini glass. I found that adding a splash of the maraschino cherry juice helps balance the flavor a bit.

I'm open to other suggestions for sweet vermouth drinks, as we have way too much of it and it's wasting space I could fill with better booze.

Well first things first. What brand of vermouth? Were they already opened and when? What else do you have to work with? Vermouth is an essential ingredient, but you have to treat it with a bit of care. It's a fortified wine and has a shelf life of around 3 months, there is some debate as to whether refrigeration prolongs shelf life, but I do it anyway to be safe.

You can take that basic recipe for a Manhattan and vary the ratios a bit. I like 2 1/2 oz spirit to 3/4 oz vermouth with two dashes bitters. Rye in place of bourbon is a great Manhattan whereas scotch will make a Rob Roy. After that we're going to start needing some less commonly stocked stuff. Sweet vermouth pairs really well with campari to create a trio of excellent drinks - the Americano, Negroni, and Boulevardier. Then there are the classics like a blood and sand or a Vancouver, which calling for cherry herring and old Tom gin/ Benedictine respectively aren't likely to be an easy make for the typical home bar. Nevertheless there are a couple drinks that use pretty common stuff:

The Derby:

1 oz bourbon
1/2 oz sweet vermouth
1/2 oz orange Curacao
3/4 oz fresh lime juice

Shake. Strain. Garnish with a mint leaf.

Palm Beach Special:

2 1/2 oz gin
3/4 oz grapefruit juice
1/2 oz sweet vermouth

Shake. Strain.

Park Avenue

2 oz gin
3/4 oz sweet vermouth
3/4 oz pineapple juice
2 splashes orange Curacao

Shake. Strain.

Comedy option: the groundhog day - sweet vermouth on the rocks with a lemon twist.

Rusty nail

3 parts scotch
1 part drambuie
Ice
Twist of lemon

Thanks for the suggestions, guys. Rob Roy seems like the next obvious choice since we also happened into a couple of bottles of low quality scotch I don't really want to drink on the rocks.

Haast_sl said:

I'm open to other suggestions for sweet vermouth drinks, as we have way too much of it and it's wasting space I could fill with better booze.

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I went through a phase with sweet vermouth, and I always like just drinking it with lemon rind on the rocks (don't skip this, it makes a difference). Rub lemon rind on the rim of a tumbler and then use as garnish. Nice and refreshing without being overwhelming - great classy summer drink or before appetizers while chatting.

That's my favorite drink. It always makes me think of Rome - the way the sun hits the buildings in the afternoon.