Name: Little Italy
Total time: 3 min
Cuisine: Cocktail
Ingredients: 52.5 ml Rye whiskey 50% abv; 22.5 ml Rosso/sweet vermouth; 15 ml Cynar/carciofo amaro

Little Italy
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Serve in a Coupe glass

Ingredients:
1 ³⁄₄ oz	Straight rye whiskey (100 proof /50% alc./vol.)
³⁄₄ oz	Strucchi Rosso Vermouth
¹⁄₂ oz	Cynar or other carciofo amaro

Read about cocktail measures and measuring

How to make:

Select and pre-chill a Coupe glass.
Prepare garnish of Luxardo Maraschino Cherry.
STIR all ingredients with ice.
FINE STRAIN into chilled glass.
Garnish with maraschino cherry.

Allergens:

Recipe contains the following allergens:

Rosso/rouge/sweet vermouth (di Torino) - Sulphur Dioxide/Sulphites

Strength & taste guide:

No alcohol

Medium

Boozy

Sweet

Medium

Dry/sour

More cocktails with similar strength and taste profile

Review:

This rye whiskey-based, Manhattan-like, bittersweet cocktail is a great digestivo.

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History:

Adapted from a recipe created in 2005 by Audrey Saunders for the opening menu of the Pegu Club in New York City, USA.

More cocktails by Audrey Saunders

Nutrition:

One serving of Little Italy contains 176 calories

Alcohol content:

1.8 standard drinks
28.33% alc./vol. (28.33° proof)
25.5 grams of pure alcohol

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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Showing 10 of 17 comments for Little Italy.
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Dave D.

17th April at 00:05

Tried today with Old Grandad Bottled-in-Bond bourbon ….I think I prefer Rye…..but very good ….I added Old Grandad to my cabinet…

Simon Sedgley

17th February at 15:00

Much as we love Rye, with this one we usually go with Cognac instead. If it's Rye, we'll add a dash of orange bitters; if Cognac, orange zest is enough. A classic cocktail.

Dave D.

17th April at 00:06

I’ll have to give that a try! Sounds good!

G. M. Genovese

11th January at 07:37

Wild Turkey 101 and Cocchi di Torino. To date, the best combo I've had. Excruciatingly difficult not to make another, pronto.

Andre Derailleur

18th October 2024 at 07:00

I drink this as a Manhattan variation and use Campari or Select to replace the bitters in the traditional drink. My favourite.

Margaret Sledge

22nd August 2024 at 23:31

A lovely drink that highlights some of my favorite ingredients. The first time I made it I used a cherry as a garnish. Second time I used an orange rind. I prefer the orange rind. And I will even add a couple of ice cubes to the glass when I’m not in the mood for an overly boozy cocktail.

John CARR

21st August 2024 at 12:57

Retrying with more standard ingredients, although Cocchi dopo teatro for the vermouth, which brought out some really wonderful wine like notes, but the extra quinine is a little dominant so added 2.5 ml Luxardo, and an orange twist to lighten. Good stuff!

John CARR

2nd August 2024 at 12:35

Tried this with scotch (bowmore 12). Didn’t quite get there, with a clash between peat and artichoke. Added dashes of cherry Heering and Luxardo and seemed to get away with it! Put that one down to experience… 😂

John CARR

2nd August 2024 at 12:50

A tiny dash of bitter truth orange bitters (less agressive than the angostura ones) also did not go amiss here.

1 reply

Ryan Hunter

21st June 2024 at 03:35

This has to be one of my favorites in the Black Manhattan-adjacent realm. Something in the way the Cynar plays with the vermouth (I used Cocchi di Torino) brings out a relatively distinct dark chocolate note. This is not quite a summer drink, but I won't let it stop me.

Tuber Magnatum

13th June 2024 at 23:02

Made this tonight, and notwithstanding its considered a digestivo, I had it as an apertivo. I was a bit concerned as never having tried Cynar that it might be a little bitter for my tastes. I therefore gave it a good long stir and thoroughly enjoyed it! Curious re the garnish. I have seen on other sites that only an odd number should be used e.g. 1 or 3 cherries or olives. Often on Difford's there are two. Is there a convention or just "I love cherries and olives so I'm using more than one"

John CARR

16th June 2024 at 12:02

Cynar is one of my favourites, and favourite discoveries of my cocktail adventures of the last couple of years. I love a jeez Louise and a bitter guiseppe. Hope you love it as much as I do!

Simon Difford

14th June 2024 at 15:01

Some folk consider it unlikely to garnish with an even number of cherries etc. But one feels stingy, and three is a crowd.

John CARR

7th June 2024 at 14:55

Even with a lower proof rye this was very, very good. Brilliant flavour combination. Like Jordan, I added some orange spritz. Can’t wait to retry with overproof rye and a fresh bottle of Cynar 😉.

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