The category of stirred drinks tends to evoke a familiar roster: the Manhattan (and its many contemporary riffs), along with the Martini and Boulevardier, to name just a few. But the stirred template knows no bounds. For your next stirred round, consider going beyond the basics with an easy rye cocktail capable of converting whiskey skeptics, a lesser-known low-proof staple or one of our favorite three-ingredient cocktails.
To get to know the breadth of the style, here are 15 easy recipes to stir up year-round.
The Black Stallion Sets Sail
A neo-tiki Negroni, made with blackstrap rum and "Ferrari."
The Greenpoint
A spin on the Brooklyn, itself a twist on the Manhattan.
Nova Scotia
A Scotch Old-Fashioned crossed with an Alaska.
French Manhattan
A riff on the American classic calls for Cognac and orange liqueur.
Al Sotack’s Brainstorm
A pre-Prohibition Irish whiskey cocktail with dry that drinks like a modified Old-Fashioned.
Neal Bodenheimer’s Old Hickory
An obscure vermouth-based classic, retooled for more flavor and less dilution.
Chrysanthemum #2
An improved Chrysanthemum with less absinthe and more citrus.
Remember the Alimony
One of the few sherry-based modern classics.
Golden Phone
A stirred riff on the 20th Century with tequila, yellow Chartreuse and crème de cacao.
Anvil’s Banana Boulevardier
A fruit-forward spin that’s developed a life of its own.
Long Look Back
A Manhattan riff featuring a split-base of rye whiskey, Japanese whisky and Braulio.
