What happens when you blend timeless sophistication with a delightful twist? A praiseworthy cocktail masterpiece emerges. This easy amaretto cocktail by Team Nemacolin embodies the perfect blend of tradition and innovation. The balanced flavorful classic won over the crowd and placed Team Nemacolin in first place of the People’s Choice Award.
Why Amaretto?
You might wonder why a cocktail needs whiskey, vermouth, and amaretto. Are these bartenders just trying to get you wasted? It’s more than that. Since whiskey is so strong, then vermouth is so flavorful, amaretto is a nice in-between. Its name means “a little bitter,” and its almond-like flavor that mixes well with darker spirits. It also adds a little bit of extra classiness to a recipe coming from one of the Pittsburgh region’s top resorts.
Ingredients
- 4 parts Wigle Pennsylvania Straight Bourbon Whiskey
- 1 part Rosso Vermouth
- 1 part amaretto
- 1 part lemon-orange oleo syrup
- 2 dashes of Angostura Bitters
- 2 dashes of orange bitters
- Valencia orange spritz on top
Instructions
- Add ice to a glass, pour in bourbon, vermouth, amaretto, syrup and bitters.
- Strain over ice in a rocks glass.
- Top with a spray of orange zest.
Using a Cocktail Strainer
If you’re not a pro like the Nemacolin team, you might not be thinking about using a cocktail strainer in your daily life. If you’re planning on upping your home mixology game, you might want to start out with a Julep strainer, which you can place directly in the glass. You can get it on Amazon or at a retailer like Target to try this recipe at home.
Recipe by Badr El Khessassi, Luis Mantilla, and Mack Elliff / Story by Emma Riva / Photography by Dave Brye
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