DrinkWire is Liquor.com’s showcase for the best articles, recipes and reviews from the web’s top writers and bloggers. In this post, The Cocktail Artist offers a twist on a Manhattan.

This is a cocktail that we came up with a couple of years ago. It's ingredients, color and the flaming orange rind all evoke the fall season (but feel free to have it any time of the year). We developed this drink while playing around with variations on the Manhattan. We decided to see how Nocio (walnut liqueur) would work in place of the sweet vermouth typically used in a Manhattan. We then changed things up (and added more of an autumn flavor) by using several types of bitters. The bourbon we chose for this cocktail is Bowman Brothers Small Batch Virginia Whiskey, but we have also used a less expensive bourbon when making a barrel-aged version of this cocktail. For barrel-aging we use a1-liter barrel from Deep South Barrels. We premix the ingredients (in quantities that will fit the barrel), pour them in, and then try to remain patient for six to eight weeks.

Autumn on 44th Street

2 oz. Bourbon
3/4 oz. Blanc vermouth
3/4 oz. Nocio (walnut liqueur)
1 dash cardamom bitters
1 dash orange bitters
1 dash black walnut bitters

Shake all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. strain into a gimlet glass, and garnish with a flamed orange rind.

To flame the orange rind:
- With a vegetable peeler cut a piece of orange rind about 1 1/2 inches long.
- Toast the skin side of the rind with a flame.
- Squeeze the rind (over the drink) releasing the oils to create a flame.
- Drop the rind into the drink

Note: You can serve this "up" in a gimlet glass or "on the rocks" in a tumbler - whichever way you prefer.

To see the recipe with more of our original artwork, visit our blog: The Cocktail Artist