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The maple walnut Manhattan is a spin on the classic Manhattan using black walnut bitters, maple syrup, and a flamed orange peel. The fall-inspired take on the classic cocktail is just as fun to sip as it is to make. Yes, you get to play with some fire and light some expressed orange oil on fire.

The maple Manhattan is a boozy cocktail with a subtle touch of maple sweetness. One may argue it’s actually closer to the old fashioned, but the red vermouth tells a different story. The maple Manhattan is darker in appearance thanks to the bitters and maple syrup. It closely resembles the black manhattan, which is made with amaro.

If you can find a naturally infused maple bourbon, by all means, substitute that for maple syrup. If not, always use high-quality maple syrup, and don’t even think about using pancake syrup instead!

Tips For Making The Manhattan Cocktail

Making a good cocktail all comes down to proper technique and the right ingredients.

There SO MANY solid and affordable bourbons out there around the same price point. I really like:
- Buffalo Trace
- Larceny
- Elijah Craig
- Woodford Reserve
- Eagle Rare
- Knob Creek
- Rowan’s Creek
Pick up some good vermouth. There’s no point in wasting nice whiskey with cheap vermouth. Here are a few of the best sweet vermouths without breaking the bank.
- Carpano Antica Formula
- Dolin
- Punt E Mes
- Noilly Pratt
ALWAYS stir with ice, never shake. Whiskey cocktails should always be stirred, otherwise, you’ll introduce unwanted oxygen and chips of ice into the drink. The ice will add just enough water to take the burn off the whiskey without diluting your cocktail.

How to Flame an Orange Peel

Use a potato peeler or paring knife to shave off a thin strip of orange peel. Try to leave as much of the pith behind as possible.
Position the peel horizontally by gripping the top and bottom of the short sides with your thumb, index, and ring fingers.
Hold the peel over the rim of the glass so the oils will shoot down into the glass. Position a lit match or lighter a few inches in front of the peel.
Gently press down, bending the peel outward, to express the oils. This really only works once.

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