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Monte Carlo
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Monte Carlo
Photographed in an UB Koto Old Fashioned 30cl
| 2 oz | Straight rye whiskey (100 proof /50% alc./vol.) |
| 1⁄2 oz | Bénédictine D.O.M. liqueur |
| 1 dash | Angostura Aromatic Bitters |
How to make:
- Select and pre-chill an Old-fashioned glass.
- Prepare garnish of lemon zest twist.
- STIR all ingredients with ice.
- STRAIN into ice-filled glass (preferably over a large cube or chunk of block ice).
- EXPRESS lemon zest twist over the cocktail and use as garnish.
Strength & taste guide:
No alcohol
Medium
Boozy
Sweet
Medium
Dry/sour
Review:
When served straight-up, the Monte Carlo fits into the Scaffa family of cocktails, but it's much better and more usually served on-the-rocks, so best described as being a Manhattan with Bénédictine in place of vermouth. My hero, the tax lawyer and cocktail writer, David Embury, says in his 1948 The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks, "This drink is a bit on the sweet side. It can be improved by adding 2 parts lemon juice and increasing the rye from 2 parts to about 4 or 5." Embury had a dry palate approaching that of Hemingway's, and most palates will appreciate the extra touch of sweetness in this cocktail, which is best enjoyed as an after-dinner tipple or nightcap.
Variant:
Served straight-up or on-the-rocks.
Kentucky Colonel (with bourbon)
Monte Carlos (with añejo tequila)
Monte Cassino (with added Yellow Chartreuse and lemon juice)
History:
The Monte Carlo first appears in print in David Embury's 1948 The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks as "1 part Bénédictine, 2 parts Rye, 1 or 2 dashes Angostura to each drink. Shake with cracked ice".
Nutrition:
One serving of Monte Carlo contains 182 calories
Alcohol content:
- 2 standard drinks
- 37.85% alc./vol. (37.85° proof)
- 28.5 grams of pure alcohol
- More After dinner/digestif cocktails
- More Classic/vintage cocktails
- More Hall of Fame & must know/try cocktails
- More Nightcap/sipping cocktails
- More Short & stirred cocktails
- More Spirit-forward cocktails
Difford’s Guide remains free-to-use thanks to the support of the brands in green above. Values stated for alcohol and calorie content, and number of drinks an ingredient makes should be considered approximate.
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This is so simple that the whiskey is entirely up to personal taste. Use whatever rye you like and it’ll be great. For that matter, you can use bourbon (called a Kentucky Colonel), aged tequila (called a Monte Carlos), cognac, calvados, aged rum, you name it. This is one of the liqueurs great charms—as long as the spirit is aged, don’t worry, the Bénédictine will make it work.