TCO Manhattan, The Corner Office Restaurant + Martini Bar, Denver
The TCO Manhattan comes from the kind of spot Don and Roger might have frequented, had they been born 50 years later and creating ad campaigns in Denver. The TCO Manhattan, a concoction of Woodford Reserve bourbon, Cappelletti, Luxardo and Woodford Reserve bitters, is combined then aged in oak barrels for a month and garnished with house-made brandy cherries.
Black Manhattan, Bacari PDR, L.A.
Mixologist Adam Sandroni adds an Italian twist to by mixing rye and Amaro.
Goodnight, Charles Joly
This cocktail, created by award-winning mixologist Charles Joly (formerly of Chicago’s The Aviary), is a Manhattan-inspired complex drink served at the recent Grammy Awards ceremony. It’s a blend of bonded bourbon, Lustau East India Sherry, Cocchi di Torino sweet vermouth, St. George coffee liqueur, chicory pecan bitters and orange oil.
Photo: Huge Galdones
Double Entendre, Barrelhouse Flat, Chicago
This drink combines Cana Brava Rum, Rhum Neisson, Carpano Bianco, pineapple syrup and absinthe.
Ossogoodhattan, Osso Steakhouse, San Francisco
This cocktail, created by operations director Jim Wagner, contains bourbon, sweet vermouth, Fernet Branca and a house-made brandied cherry. “It’s ‘ossogood’ that Don Draper will want…several,” Wagner says.
Belgian Fashioned, Dusek’s, Chicago
This drink fits in at this beer-centric concept by mixing Belgian dark Candi syup with George Dickel rye, Angostura bitters, orange slices and maraschino cherries. Belgian Candi syrup is a characteristic ingredient of Belgian Trappist-style ales.
Rusty Negroni, Epic Roasthouse, San Francisco
This drink combines Rusty Blade gin, Gran Classico, Vya sweet vermouth and an orange twist.
Don Draper, Old Glory Bar-B-Que, Washington, DC
This cocktail contains Woodford Reserve rye, Jim Beam Red Stag Black Cherry, bitters, muddled cherries and oranges and sugar.
Pink Slip, Mott St, Chicago
This drink, according to its creator Mike Melazzo, is “Don Draper’s soulmate in a glass.” It incorporates high West OMG Silver White rye whiskey, Rhum J.M. Rum Agricole, lime, Leopold Bros. orange liqueur, Angostura bitters and egg white. “Like those Mad Men, we were challenged by addressing our guests’ perceptions,” says Melazzo. “While white whiskey is a product most people dislike, we were intrigued by turning it into something that is both tasty and visually stunning.”
Verbena Cocktail, BDK Restaurant & Bar, San Francisco
This cocktail contains gin, dry vermouth, absinthe, maraschino and orange bitters. “The cocktail itself is a clean, crisp spring/summer cocktail, much like a delicate vodka martini,” says bar manager Kevin Diedrich. “These classics, typically classified as ‘speakeasy’ cocktails or ‘Mad Men’ cocktails, are very popular as they are simple, straightforward and most definitely will get you tipsy quickly.”
Zou Bisou Bisou, The Independent, Somerville, MA
This cocktail is named after a sexy French ditty famously performed at Don’s 40th birthday party. It’s a mix of cognac, Luxardo Maraschino, sweet vermouth, Bittermans Burlesque and Hellfire bitters, served straight up with orange zest.
Sterling Cooper, LOCL Bar, NYLO Hotel, NYC
This drink "is an elegant and sophisticated cocktail that stands tall as its namesake advertising firm," says bar manager Charles Washington. It's a mix of Jefferson's bourbon, fresh lime juice, ginger beer and grenadine. "Like its founding partners, Roger Sterling and Bertram Cooper, this drink offers the right amount of culture, class and a nod to the days of yesteryear."
Stonefruit Sour, Sidebar Lounge, Palm Springs
This cocktail is a spin on the classic whiskey sour created by bar manager David Niepov. It’s a mix of Bulleit rye, apricot preserves, Luxardo Maraschino and apricot liqueur with a cinnamon sugar rim.
Hearth Manhattan, The Promontory, Chicago
This cocktail incorporates hearth-smoked vermouth, Four Roses bourbon and cherry vanilla bark bitters.
Grand Manhattan, Labriola Ristorante & Café, Chicago
Beverage manager Daniel Casteel’s creation features Very Old Barton bourbon, Dolin sweet vermouth, Carpano Antica and whiskey barrel-aged bitters, stirred and served over one ice sphere with an Amarena cherry. “The sweetness of the vermouth and the spice of the bitters tame the aggressive nature of the 100-proof bourbon,” Casteel explains.
Photo: Daniel Casteel
Kingston Negroni, Hinoki & the Bird, L.A.
This drink combines Smith & Cross Jamaican rum, Gran Classico, sweet vermouth, rocks and an orange twist.
Photo: Dylan + Jeni
Lost for Words Martini, InterContinental Mark Hopkins, San Francisco
This cocktail is a mixture of Grey Goose vodka, cranberry juice, natural cherry juice and fresh orange juice.
Madhattan, Travelle, Chicago
This cocktail is a real throwback, mixed tableside from a cocktail cart. It’s a blend of choice whiskey, sweet vermouth, a dash of Benedictine and house-made smoked simple syrup, stirred and served over ice. Patrons can personalize their Madhattans by substituting Woodford Reserve bourbon, Macallan 12-year single malt scotch and other premium spirits, for an upcharge.
Marshall Manhattan, Nick’s Cove, Marshall, CA
Bar manager Danny Martin mixes Hooker’s House Bourbon, Anderson Valley Stout Syrup, Angostura bitters and brandied cherries.
Photo: Kellie Delario
Hollow Men, River Bar, Somerville, MA
This drink, created by bar manager Thea Engst, combines rye, Cynar, Cocchi Rosa, Becherovka and yellow chartreuse. It’s an homage to the famous T.S. Eliot poem’s ending lines: “This is the way the world ends/Not with a bang but a whimper.”
Photo: Brian Samuels
Wingtips, The Gorbals, Williamsburg, NY
This cocktail—a nod to the Manhattan as well to classic men’s footwear —is a musky mixture of bourbon, Dolin Blanc vermouth, apricot liqueur and lavender bitters.
Class Act, Idle Hour, L.A.
Bar director Chris Amirault's invention teams Rittenhouse rye, sweet vermouth, orange oil, Fernet Branca and creme de cacao.
Plank Smoked Old Fashioned, American Cut, NYC
This woodsy variation combines Bulleit Bourbon, caster sugar and house bitters in a maple wood-smoked glass.
Tennesse Waltz, The Third Man, NYC
The Old Fashioned meets the Manhattan in this marriage of Maker's Mark, Cocchi di Torino and creme de peche.
El Diablo Blanco, Toro, Boston and NYC
This riff on the Negroni uses mezcal instead of gin, Salers instead of Campari and Cocchi Americano in place of sweet vermouth. "The mezcal adds a smoky depth to the cocktail and the botanicals in Salers as well as Cocci add a subtle herbaceous note instead of intense bitterness," says beverage director Caitlin Doonan.
District 9, Pinewood Social, Nashville
Beverage director Matt Tocco's creation starts with an absinthe-washed coupe glass, which is filled with a mixture of Old Overholt rye whiskey, Maurin Quina, fresh orange juice, fresh lemon juice and Demerara syrup. It's a modern riff on the classic Ward 8.
Photo: Andrea Behrends
Monroe's Passion, Wolfgang Puck at Hotel Bel-Air, L.A.
Inspired by Marilyn Monroe, who lived at the hotel on and off for more than a decade, this quaff is a spicy-fruity blend of passion fruit rum, Bacardi 151 rum, passion fruit juice, orange juice, cranberry juice, ginger juice and chili syrup.
Photo: Pornchai Mittongtare
Paris Between the Wars, SoBou, New Orleans
Dewar's fan Don Draper would enjoy this fizzy cocktail with Dewar's, Luxardo bitters, lemon and Crispin apple cider. It's the perfect aperitif and SouBou owner Ti Martin's favorite cocktail.
Barrel-Aged Negroni, Masa 14, Washington DC
This mix of Campari, Beefeater gin and sweet vermouth takes on added character from 16 weeks of aging.
Blood & Sand, Americano Restaurant & Bar, Hotel Vitale, San Francisco
This popular classic includes Famous Grouse blended scotch, Carpano Antica sweet vermouth, Cherry Heering and fresh-squeezed blood orange juice. "The brown spirit combined with the spice and depth of the Carpano Antica and Cherry Heering make for a drink with more depth and complexity," says food and beverage director Matthew Feddock.