Florida Man mixology

For months, I’ve been pondering what Florida Man’s twist on a classic cocktail, the Manhattan, would be. After much refinement and many tastings (some good, others downright awful), I bring you The Florida Man…hattan?.

Ingredients:

3 oz Redemption Rye (because Florida Man is the very definition of redemption)

2 drops of Zab's St. Augustine-style hot sauce made with Slow Burn Datil Peppers (FYI, datil is pronounced like “dat’ll do it”)

1/2 oz sweet vermouth (not the biggest fan to begin with, but you need a hint of it)

2 dashes Elijah Craig Bourbon Barrel Aged Aromatic Bitters

1 dried Florida orange slice

1 small cinnamon stick (which I forgot to buy so improvised with a dash of ground cinnamon)

Solo cup (clear, not red, so you can show off your concoction)

Ice from an ice machine (which was invented in Mississippi by Dr. John Gorrie in 1845)

?

Instructions:

1.??? Infuse the rye. Combine the rye, drops of Zab’s, and cinnamon in a jar and stir the heck out of it for several minutes.

2.??? Mix the Florida Man...hattan?. Combine the infused rye, sweet vermouth, and barrel-aged bitters and stir for 20-30 seconds.

3.??? Prepare the Solo cup. Pour the cocktail into a clear Solo cup full of ice.

4.??? Garnish. Float a dried Florida orange slice on top. Add a fresh cinnamon stick (if you remember it) for extra smells.

5.??? Serve and Enjoy. Sip and savor the warm cinnamon notes, the Florida citrus brightness, and the gentle heat of St. Augustine datil peppers.

Cheers and Merry Christmas!