Rye whiskey and sweet vermouth find their bitter backbone in Cynar, the artichoke-based amaro, which brings an earthy, herbal bittersweetness to the spot aromatic bitters would usually fill. Stirred cold and served up, it drinks rich, spicy and gently bittersweet — a fine digestivo, finished with a skewer of dark cherries.
Garnish: Maraschino Cherry
Stirred · Coupe · Up
add
Combine rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, and Cynar in a mixing glass over ice.
stir
Stir until well chilled and diluted.
strain
Fine strain into a chilled coupe.
garnish
Garnish with one or two skewered Luxardo maraschino cherries.
Audrey Saunders devised the Little Italy in 2005 while assembling the opening menu for her Pegu Club in New York City. She named it after Little Italy, the neighborhood right beside the bar. The attribution has never been contested, and the drink has since settled in as a widely reprinted modern classic.