Brainstorm – Recipe from David Embury’s ‘The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks’

1 part French Vermouth 

4 parts Rye 

2 or 3 dashes Benedictine to each drink 

Stir. Decorate with a twist of orange peel. 

Another version of this drink calls for Irish whisky instead of rye.

Looking at this recipe its almost as if it should be Italian vermouth not French, but it works quite well, the Benedictine gives it the sweetness you’d get from Italian and creates a very pleasant drink. I think it would work better with Irish whiskey, I find this generally smoother and more mixable than rye, which I struggle with for some reason. I also was short of oranges at home when I made this so no orange twist or oils, this was a mistake as I think the drink could’ve really done with this to finish it.

I’d recommend giving this drink a try, it’s a little lighter than a Manhattan, so maybe better if your after something a little more carefree for the beginning of a long night.