The Ingredients

• 2 oz. Bourbon 0r Rye (>80 proof)

• 1 oz. Premium Sweet Vermouth¹

• 2-3 dashes Angostura Bitters

• Two Maraschino Cherries

The Directions

Place one large ice cube in a rocks glass. Add bourbon or rye, sweet vermouth and bitters. Thoroughly stir (you do want some dilution). Garnish with two² Maraschino Cherries³. Sounds like a Manhattan you say? Well it is, but on the rock(s).

The Quote

"No cop for youse," said the waiter, with a voice like butter cakes and an eye like two the cherries in a Flackhattan cocktail"

O. Henry, The Cop and The Anthem, 1904 (with apologies)

The Story

While the Old Fashioned may be the original cocktail, the Flackhattan is the perfect cocktail – simple (it only really has three ingredients), yet the jumping-off point of numerous other cocktails: the Boulevardier: substitute an ounce of Campari for the bitters, the Rob Roy: replace the bourbon/rye/whiskey with scotch, the Brooklyn: add maraschino liqueur. Also varying the quantity and type of the vermouth can allow a host to have one drink suite numerous palates: 

• Reverse the ratio of bourbon to vermouth for the more feminine palate 

• Use some dry vermouth for the more masculine palate⁴

Note: Make a Flackhatten II© by freezing a ¼ - ½” of water in an old-fashioned glass prior to making the drink. The author (and his wife) was visiting his Mother-in-law for Christmas 2012. We had a secret stash of liquor in the guest bedroom night table (please don’t tell). Prior to going out one night he decided to make a cocktail out of Southern Comfort⁵, dry vermouth, and bitters but was dismayed to find no ice in the freezer. Necessity being the mother of invention, he decided to freeze a couple of ounces of water in the bottom of two glasses and then mix the ingredients on top of the ice. This resulted in the idea of using this technique to keep a Flackhattan© cold while preventing excessive dilution. 

It is not recommended to use premium bourbon or rye as you will mix it with a significant amount of vermouth, therefore Buffalo Trace Bourbon (90 pf) or Rittenhouse Rye (100 pf) may work nicely with Doulin Rouge or Carpano Antica (if you're in a particularly good mood). Please note the importance of > 80 proof bourbon or rye, as you do not want it to get lost amongst the ice, bitters, and vermouth. If in extremis, sacrifice quality for proof.

According to Mrs. Emily Flack, a Manhattan straight-up was served at German-American wedding receptions in Ridgewood, NY circa 1940. 

Footnotes 

¹ Vermouth (which is a fortified wine) should be stored in the refrigerator after opening. Buy in small bottles as it loses something as it ages.

² Because two is better than one

³ To create a Manhattan straight up, combine ingredients with ice in a shaker, stir (or shake), strain into a martini glass, garnish with a cherry

⁴ Using a 1:1 ratio of sweet to dry vermouth is called a “Perfect Flackhattan©" 

⁵ Not a favorite of Dave Huners