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When you’re drinking something like a Manhattan that’s the byproduct of spirits that have spent most of their lives in oak barrels, an extra oomph of earthiness lends a nice touch.
At Latitude 26, the restaurant and bar at the just-opened Hyatt House across from Bayfront on the Gordon River, they’re serving a sundowner that already is making waves.
Smoke on the Water is their take on that aforementioned classic, but what’s really turning heads is the dramatic flourish in how it’s presented. By using a smoking gun to prep the glass, the drink mists and fogs until you take your first sip.
Even if you don’t try this version of a Manhattan there or at home (recipe below), you can take away the idea of prepping glasses at your next dinner party with a hand-held smoker: Williams-Sonoma, Amazon and Walmart all sell the same PolyScience product with two vials of wood chips (hickory and applewood) for $99.
Smoke on the Water
This recipe requires a hand-held smoker.
3 ounces bourbon, preferably Buffalo Trace
1 1/2 ounces sweet vermouth, preferably Carpano Antica Fourmula
3 dashes Regans’ orange bitters
3 dashes Fee Brothers bitters
Orange peel, for garnish
1) In a cocktail shaker, combine all ingredients except orange peel.
2) Prepare a cocktail glass by placing orange peel at the bottom then piping in smoke for a few seconds using a hand-held smoking gun.
3) Pour contents of shaker into glass; serve.
Recipe courtesy of Latitude 26, Hyatt House Naples/5th Avenue.
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