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Metropolitan (1884)

Name: Metropolitan (1884)
Total time: 3 min
Cuisine: Cocktail
Ingredients: 45 ml Ambrato vermouth; 22.5 ml Cognac (brandy); 2.5 ml Gomme syrup; 3 dash Aromatic bitters

Difford’s Guide

Discerning Drinkers (13)

Measurements in:

Serves:

Keep screen awake

Ingredients
1 1/2 fl oz	Ambrato/ambre/amber vermouth
3/4 fl oz	Cognac (brandy)
1/12 fl oz	Gomme syrup
3 dash	Angostura Aromatic Bitters

How to make

Glass

Photographed in a Modern America Nick & Nora

Prepare

Select and pre-chill a NICK & NORA GLASS.
Prepare garnish of skewered Luxardo Maraschino Cherry.

Method

STIR all ingredients with ice.
FINE STRAIN into chilled glass.

Garnish

Garnish with skewered cherry.

Flavour Profile

No alcohol

Medium

Boozy

Sweet

Medium

Dry/sour

Health & Nutrition

Nutrition:

One serving of Metropolitan (1884) contains 119 calories

Alcohol content:

1 standard drinks
19.45% alc./vol. (38.9° proof)
13.8 grams of pure alcohol

Allergens:

Recipe contains the following allergens:

Ambrato/ambre/amber vermouth — Sulphur Dioxide/Sulphites

History

Adapted from a recipe in O. H. Byron's 1884 The Modern Bartenders' Guide. Tellingly, this recipe appears beneath two versions of the Manhattan, the first-known recipe for a Manhattan.

Metropolitan Cocktail.
(A small wine-glass.)
½ pony brandy.
1 " French vermouth.
3 dashes Angostura bitters.
3 " gum syrup.
O. H. Byron, 1884

Review

A dry vermouth-forward brandy Manhattan suited to the pre- or after-dinner occasion.

Variations/similar cocktails

1993 Metropolitan Cocktail.

Gallery

Comments & Discussion

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Sc'Eric 1y

When was ambrato invented?

Simon Difford Verified User Premium Member 1y

Noilly Prat Ambré, the vermouth many favour for this cocktail, was first made in 1986. As reproduced above, the original 1884 recipe merely calls for "French vermouth."

Sc'Eric 1y

Thanks for the clarification. I was under the impression that the goal for this recipe was to keep it "authentic" to the period/timeline, so far as we know it.

I really do appreciate the direction that you're taking this site, Simon! Thank you.

Shashikant Yadav 1y

Yeah Sir u are right 👍🏻

Chris Dimal 3y

Haha! I made probably the worst version of this drink with Cinzano Extra Dry, a cheap French Grape Brandy and a barspoon of sugar syrup to compensate for no gum syrup. It was still tasty. I guess it was the barspoon of sugar! A solid 4!