Remember the Maine

A brooding, spirit-forward classic that reads like a Manhattan rerouted through New Orleans: rye and sweet vermouth deepened by a measure of cherry brandy, all served in a coupe rinsed with absinthe for a ghost of anise. Charles H. Baker Jr. recorded it in The Gentleman's Companion (1939), having met it in Havana amid the upheavals of 1933 — the name borrowing the 1898 rallying cry "Remember the Maine." The IBA enshrines it among The Unforgettables.

ClassicSpirit-ForwardAfter Dinner

Ingredients

  • 2 ozRye Whiskey
  • 0.75 ozSweet Vermouth
  • 0.5 ozCherry Liqueur
  • 0.25 ozAbsinthe(rinse)

Garnish: Lemon Peel

Preparation

Stirred · Coupe · None

  1. 1.

    rinse

    Pour absinthe into a chilled coupe and swirl to coat the interior; discard the excess.

  2. 2.

    add

    Add rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, and cherry liqueur to a mixing glass filled three-quarters with ice.

  3. 3.

    stir

    Stir until well chilled and properly diluted.

  4. 4.

    strain

    Strain into the absinthe-rinsed coupe.

  5. 5.

    garnish

    Express a lemon twist over the surface and add it to the glass.

Flavor Profile

spiced
48%
body
39%
sweet
31%
herbal
28%
fruity
24%
heat
22%
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