How To Give Your Manhattan Cocktail A Rich Chocolate Upgrade

A classic Manhattan cocktail is a perfectly balanced combination of bourbon, Angostura bitters, and vermouth. Its short ingredient list and trifecta of complementary flavors are what make the Manhattan a classic cocktail. If, however, you're looking for a novel twist on a tried-and-true Manhattan recipe, we've consulted an expert who recommends a rich chocolate upgrade. In an interview with bartender guru and mixologist Lynnette Marrero, who recently received an honor from New York Bartender week, she provided a few avenues for imparting chocolatey flavors to a classic Manhattan.

"I like to make chocolate manhattans with chocolate bitters and Crème de Cacao instead of simple [syrup]. Alternatively, infusing bourbon with cacao nibs for a few days adds depth and richness without overwhelming the spirit." Chocolate bitters, also known as cocoa bitters, capture the essence of chocolate's unique bitter flavor by infusing alcohol with cacao and complementary baking spices like cinnamon, cardamom, and vanilla. Creme de cacao is a sweet chocolate liqueur that you're as likely to see in desserts as you are in cocktails.

Replacing the Angostura bitters with chocolate bitters from a brand like Fee Brothers will still balance the sweetness from the creme de cacao and sweet vermouth for a chocolate-forward Manhattan with the same trifecta of bitter, sweet, and smoky flavors. Infusing bourbon with Naturale Bio cacao nibs will pair well with bourbon's own tasting notes and will make for a more subtle and sophisticated chocolate Manhattan.

Marrero's chocolate upgrades on a classic Manhattan may supplement and swap certain ingredients, but they're easy to execute and open the door to other variations. Creme de cacao combined with sweet vermouth may need an extra dash of bitters to keep it in check — you can add extra chocolate bitters or use another complementary bitter in conjunction with the chocolate like amaro or walnut bitters. A blend of bitters will bring even more depth of flavor to your drink. Creme de Cacao comes in dark and light chocolate varieties; a dark chocolate creme de cacao has more pronounced chocolate notes and isn't as sweet and creamy as its lighter counterpart.

While infusing bourbon sounds daunting, there's not much to it; simply combine cacao nibs and bourbon in a sealable jar and let the mixture sit in a dark place for between 48 hours and a week, stirring the mixture once a day. If you want to speed up the infusion process, you can add the cacao and bourbon to a EurKitchen cream whipper with nitrous cartridges. The agitation a whipper can supply is forceful enough to infuse bourbon in a matter of minutes.

An orange peel garnish will pair beautifully with the chocolate flavors in a chocolate Manhattan, but you can also swap it or supplement it with a Luxardo cherry. And try adding luxardo cherry canning liquid instead of simple syrup to your chocolate-infused Manhattan.