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Preakness Cocktail

Preakness Cocktail

Classic

Rye, sweet vermouth, Bénédictine, and bitters. Maryland's Manhattan.

NightcapSpirit-ForwardClassic
3 minEasyStrong

Spicy, rich, and herbal. Peppery rye leads, sweet vermouth adds dark fruit, and Bénédictine brings honey and baking spice, all tied together with bitters. Warm, smooth, and deeply satisfying.

Ingredients

  • 2 oz Rye Whiskey
  • 0.75 oz Sweet Vermouth
  • 0.25 oz Bénédictine
  • 2 dashes Angostura Bitters
  • Lemon twist · optional garnish

Method

  1. 1

    Add every ingredient to a mixing glass with ice.

  2. 2

    Stir until well chilled.

  3. 3

    Strain into a chilled coupe.

  4. 4

    Express a lemon peel over the top and drop it in.

The Story

The Preakness Cocktail is named for the Preakness Stakes, the Maryland horse race run each spring at Pimlico in Baltimore, and appears in vintage cocktail books. Like the Brooklyn and the Red Hook, it is a Manhattan variation named for a place, here adding a touch of Bénédictine for herbal sweetness. Maryland has a long rye whiskey tradition, which makes the base a natural fit.

Glass · Coupe glassGarnish · Lemon twist