W
elcome, dear guests, to this very exclusive bar. At Libations For All Occasions, we look to live up to our name, ensuring top-shelf tips and sips. Nothing but the best for patrons and purveyors of the produce industry. Tonight’s menu is a special one indeed—a signature beverage from a signature figure on both sides of the bar: Anthony Innocenti.
With our proverbial drinks in hand, we sit and mull over the journey to finding the perfect mix. That moment in a bar, restaurant, or some nice hotel, where the craft menu is original, the bartenders are slick, and you first taste that perfect blend that will now forever be your go-to drink. For Anthony, who collects bourbon when he isn’t innovating ingredients as Managing Partner of LIV Produce, it’s a very specific take on what will now be called Not Your Typical Manhattan.
In a voice echoing, yet countering, James Bond, Anthony deeply implores that you do NOT ever shake a Manhattan. If cocktails are an art, this is one whose colors are stirred for the correct blend. That is a law you can add to Newton’s list, our expert says. From there, getting this libation just right is all about ensuring you find your favorites of each component. This search, Anthony and I both promise, is as wonderful as that memorable first sip. Because the drink that is Not Your Typical Manhattan is all about the journey. Enjoy it.
3 oz Colonel E.H. Taylor Bourbon, or your favorite bourbon or rye whiskey
¾ oz Cocchi Storico Sweet Vermouth, or your favorite vermouth
A chilled Manhattan, martini, or preferred glass
Bitters, Scrappy’s preferred
An orange wedge
All-natural Woodford Reserve Bourbon Cherries
Ice
Time: 5 min
Servings: 1
1. Chill the glass—Anthony recommends doing so with water and ice before pouring.
2. In a separate mixing glass, add your favorite bourbon (or rye whiskey, but Anthony’s top recommendation is E.H. Taylor Bourbon), your favorite sweet vermouth—per Anthony, he cannot recommend enough Cocchi Sweet Vermouth—and bitters with ice. Stir gently until well-chilled. Do NOT shake.
3. Empty your now-chilled martini or cocktail glass. Squeeze a fresh orange wedge around the rim.
4. Use a strainer to pour the beverage in.
5. Finish with one or two all-natural Woodford Reserve Bourbon Cherries and an orange wedge (if desired). 
