Delish Editor Lena Abraham’s ‘Brooklyn’ Cocktail

Everyone knows the classic Manhattan cocktail: whiskey, sweet vermouth, and bitters. But did you know that all five New York City boroughs have their own namesake cocktails? Chances are, you may not—none have gained the popularity of the ubiquitous Manhattan.

The original Brooklyn cocktail dates all the way back to 1908, when it was first printed in J.A. Grohusko’s Jack's Manual, a book of recipes for fancy mixed drinks and how to serve them. As written, it was not all that different from a Manhattan: equal parts rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, and small amounts off maraschino liqueur and a hard-to-find French orange liqueur called Amer Picon. 

The drink has evolved over the years, but considering the drink is over 100 years old, I decided to start from scratch for my version. I kicked things off with an ingredient that I know my fellow Brooklynites hold very close to their hearts: coffee. I love the complex flavors that coffee brings to cocktails, and seeing as I was a barista for many years, partially in Brooklyn, it just felt right. With De’Longhi’s La Specialista Espresso Machine, making espresso the right way is ridiculously easy. The espresso brings notes of chocolate and toasted nuts, flavors that contrast well with smoky and bright mezcal. A small amount of herbaceous amaro brings bitter notes and balance, and a few dashes of bitters tie all those flavors together.

So there it is, my humble attempt at a Brooklyn. (No disrespect to Mr. Grohusko. 😅) If you try it, please let us know how it went in the comment section below!