Name: Mane of Needles
Total time: 4 min
Cuisine: Cocktail
Ingredients: 45 ml Rye whiskey 50% abv; 15 ml Vermouth alla vaniglia; 10 ml Red bitter liqueur; 5 ml Fernet liqueur; 5 ml Bénédictine D.O.M.; 1 dash Orange bitters; 4 drop Saline solution 4:1

Mane of Needles
Jump to

Photographed in an Urban Bar Alto Cocktail 17cl

Ingredients:
1 ¹⁄₂ oz	Straight rye whiskey (100 proof /50% alc./vol.)
¹⁄₂ oz	Carpano Antica Formula Vermouth
¹⁄₃ oz	Strucchi Red Bitter (Campari-style liqueur)
¹⁄₆ oz	Fernet Branca liqueur
¹⁄₆ oz	Bénédictine D.O.M. liqueur
1 dash	Orange Bitters by Angostura
4 drop	Saline solution 4:1 (20g sea salt to 80g water)

Read about cocktail measures and measuring

How to make:

Select and pre-chill a Nick & Nora glass.
Prepare garnish of orange zest twist.
STIR all ingredients with ice.
STRAIN into chilled glass.
EXPRESS orange zest twist over the cocktail and use as garnish.

Allergens:

Recipe contains the following allergens:

Vermouth rosso alla vaniglia (e.g. Antica Formula) - Sulphur Dioxide/Sulphites

Strength & taste guide:

No alcohol

Medium

Boozy

Sweet

Medium

Dry/sour

More cocktails with similar strength and taste profile

Review:

For Negroni-lovers seeking depth of flavour, complexity and refinement.

View readers' comments

History:

Adapted from a recipe created in 2012 by Jason O'Bryan at URBN restaurant in North Park, San Diego, California, and inspired The Violet Hour's Autumn Negroni. This cocktail's name comes from a lyric in the song Cassandra Gemini by The Mars Volta, from the album Frances the Mute.

Nutrition:

One serving of Mane of Needles contains 174 calories

Alcohol content:

1.8 standard drinks
30.9% alc./vol. (30.9° proof)
24.8 grams of pure alcohol

More Bittersweet (e.g. Negroni) cocktails
More Herbal cocktails
More Winter 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.

Join the discussion

Showing 5 comments for Mane of Needles.
See discussion in the Forum

Please log in to make a comment

Brecht Huysman

8th February at 11:34

Lovely drink! I just wanted to point out that the name comes from a lyric in the song ‘Cassandra Gemini’ by The Mars Volta, from the album Frances the Mute. It’s a little unclear. Cheers!

Simon Difford

9th February at 13:31

Many thanks, Brecht. I've added your wording above.

Stephen C

8th February at 04:29

One of my favorite drinks. Look at the drinks and drinking blog for a discussion. Don't understand the addition of saline drops as they mute the drink. Without them the layering is superb.

Andy Parnell-Hopkinson

1st February at 17:42

Good, but the Benedictine struggles against the powerful bitters. Might try doubling and see if it improves or not.

Alex Powell

5th April at 21:25

Made this after dinner and instinctively boosted the Benedictine, can be a bit unforgiving otherwise. Enjoyable but didn't exactly fly.

Simon Sedgley

1st February at 12:20

Way too fussy for our taste...and there is no harmony. The whole is just the sum of its parts.

Rick Rosemont

31st January at 23:34

Tasty. I guess more of a Boulevardier than a Negroni but no worries.
The different flavors meld together very well, not as Campari forward as a Negroni or a Boulevardier. If you happen to have the ingredients around give it a try.

See discussion in the Forum