Lafayette – David Embury

The Lafayette is, in effect, a medium Manhattan with Dubonnet substituted for Italian Vermouth

1 part French Vermouth

1 part Dubonnet

6 parts Whisky

1 dash Angostura to each drink

Stir with large cubes of ice. This cocktail is sometimes served a la Old-Fashioned.

There’s a Lafayette in 17 states in the US, not to mention all of the rivers, mountains, counties, townships, parks, roads and squares named after him. He is much loved in the US, and to be fair he should be. He was a central character in both the American war of independence, and the French revolution and seems to pops up Forest Gump-like in every major historical event until 1834, even declining an offer to become dictator of France, although having participated in the guillotine strewn revolution I can understand his hesitancy.

If there was ever a man that needed a drink or 6 named after him it was this one, and I can understand the process. Take that most American of drinks, the Manhattan, remove the Italian component, add some more French, find someone who embodies this to name it after, and voila, a drink is born.

The drinks a good one too, although Dubonnet doesn’t pack quite the flavour punch of my favourite Carpano, it’s not bad. Like a Saratoga this will be one of the drinks I use as variation when on a Manhattan kind of evening.