Here’s a fun way to get out of a cocktail rut: Take a classic and reverse it. This won’t work for every cocktail, but even where it arguably doesn’t, the experiment will add to your visceral understanding of what various ingredients bring to a mix.

Let’s start with the venerable Manhattan—conventionally two parts bourbon or rye to one part vermouth. This time, make it two parts vermouth to one part bourbon whiskey.

The trick: Don’t use tepid sweet vermouth (I’m looking at you, Martini & Rossi); use a full-bodied, classic Italian vermouth and a high-proof bourbon to stand up against it. I made this one using Cocchi Vermouth di Torino and Weller Antique 107 bourbon. Yes, Weller bourbons are pricey and hard to come by, so consider any well-made cask strength bourbon or a spicy, bottled-in-bond rye whiskey such as Rittenhouse.

If you do it with a bourbon and sweet vermouth you truly enjoy (and there are so many of both to be had!), it’s delightful! I loved this one.

Plus, vermouth is a fortified, aromatized wine, so its alcohol content is modest and lowers the content of the Reverse Manhattan. In this case, alcohol by volume in this cocktail is 28.5 percent – a great cocktail to have when you’re having more than one.

For more exploration, try reversing your Martini. Cheers!

REVERSE MANHATTAN
2 oz Cocchi Vermouth di Torino (16% abv)
1 oz Weller Antique 107 bourbon whiskey (107 proof/53.5% abv)
1-2 dashes Fee Brothers Whiskey Barrel Aged Bitters

Combine the ingredients in a mixing glass and stir with lots of ice until it’s well chilled. Strain the mix into a chilled Martini glass or coupe. Express the oils from a twist of lemon zest onto the cocktail and garnish with the peel. To add some smokey notes to your cocktail, flame those oils when you express them!