About

This was my submission for Woodford Reserve's Master of the Manhattan contest. I think it is very important to use local and fresh ingredients. I get most of my inspiration from the farmer's market and local farms and orchards. I wanted to put a unique twist on a classic cocktail.

Served at

Bella Notte Lexington, KY

Ingredients

Woodford Big Apple Manhattan

• 2 oz of Woodford Reserve Double Oaked
• ¾ oz House-made Woodford Reserve Apple Butter
• .5 oz Aperol
• .5 oz Martini and Rossi Sweet Vermouth
• .5 oz Luxardo Maraschino
• 4-5 Dashes of House-made Apple Bitters
• Candied Apple Slice

Directions

Woodford Big Apple Manhattan

• 2 oz of Woodford Reserve Double Oaked
• ¾ oz House-made Woodford Reserve Apple Butter
• .5 oz Aperol
• .5 oz Martini and Rossi Sweet Vermouth
• .5 oz Luxardo Maraschino
• 4-5 Dashes of House-made Apple Bitters
• Candied Apple Slice

In a shaker combine a scoop of ice Woodford Reserve Double Oaked bourbon, Aperol, Luxardo and Sweet Vermouth. Lastly add the house made apple butter. Stir with bar spoon vigorously 10 to 15 seconds. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Add House made bitters and Candied Apple Slice.

House Made Woodford Reserve Caramel Apple Butter

• 5 1/2 pounds apples - peeled, cored and finely chopped
• 3 1/2 cups white sugar
• ½ Cup smoked bourbon sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• ½ Cup Woodford reserve Double Oaked
• 1/3 Cup house made caramel

Place the apples in a slow cooker. In a medium bowl, mix the sugars, cinnamon, bourbon cloves and salt. Pour the mixture over the apples in the slow cooker and mix well.
Cover and cook on high 1 hour.
Reduce heat to low and cook 9 to 11 hours, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thickened and dark brown.
Uncover and continue cooking on low 1 hour. Stir with a whisk, if desired, to increase smoothness.
Spoon the mixture into sterile containers, cover and refrigerate or freeze.

Apple Bitters

• Grain Alcohol
• Red Delicious Apples
• Honey Crisp Apples
• Fuji Apples
• Bosch Pears
• Rosemary
• Coriander
• Toasted Cinnamon Sticks
• 1 star anise
• Local Honey
• Raw Chopped Almonds
• Woodford reserve (do not mix with grain alcohol)

Using Ball 4 oz Jamming jars fill jars with each ingredient until the jar is completely full. Then add grain spirits until jar is completely full. Let each jar sit for 3 weeks, shaking each jar daily. Strain out each jar using a super fine mesh sieve. In a clean mason jar using an eyedropper add each ingredient in these parts

• 2 Parts Honey Crisp Apple
• 2 Parts Fuji Apples
• 2 Parts Red Delicious Apple
• 1 Part Pear
• 1 Part Rosemary
• 1 Part Coriander
• 2 Parts toasted Cinnamon Sticks
• ½ Part Anise
• 1 Part Local Honey
• 2 Parts Almond
• 3 Parts Woodford Reserve Bourbon
• 12 Parts Water

Candied Apple chips

Poaching Liquid

1-Cup Sugar
2 Cups Water
Combine ingredients and bring to a boil
Cool to room temperature before poaching apple chips

1 Apple

Set up sauce pot with cooled poaching liquid
• Cut apple in half from stem to tip
• Slice very carefully using a slicer or mandolin at about 1/16 inch thickness, discard any seeds
• Add Apple slices to sauce pot of liquid as they are being sliced so as not to have any oxidation effects in a layering motion
• When all apples are sliced and in the sauce pot with liquid, place pot on medium low flame and bring to a simmer
• Allow slices to barely simmer for 5-8 minutes, or until apples are completely translucent
• Remove apples from strove and stop cooking process by adding a handful of ice
• Drain pear slices on the rim of the sauce pot by removing them from the liquid and “shingling” the slices around the rim, they will overhang and excess syrup will drain down back into the pot (this is important so as not to create caramel when baking)
• Transfer drained apple slices to silpat lined half sheet pan; smoothing apple slices so they lay flat with no air bubbles
• Bake at 185 for about 45 minutes, rotating tray and flipping chips halfway through cooking
• Apples are done when they have a crystallized appearance and are “snap- crisp”