Non Alcoholic Manhattan

Ingredient Spotlight

Non-alcoholic whiskey alternative

A category of distilled non‑alcoholic spirits designed to mimic whiskey’s flavor profile (oak, caramel, vanilla, smoke, and spice) without ethanol; these are a recent product trend from the non‑alcoholic spirits movement inspired by Scotch/Bourbon. They often rely on botanicals, smoked malts, and concentrated flavorings to suggest whiskey character but can taste lighter or more botanical than the real thing. Find them in specialty liquor stores, larger supermarkets in the non‑alcoholic spirits section, or online (brands include Lyre’s, Ritual, Spiritless, and others). If unavailable, approximate the profile with strong black tea or cold‑brew, a drop of liquid smoke, a little vanilla syrup and bitters, but flavor won’t be identical.

Ingredient Spotlight

Dealcoholized sweet vermouth (or non-alc sweet fortified wine)

Sweet vermouth is a fortified, aromatized wine flavored with botanicals; a dealcoholized version has had the ethanol removed to make a non‑alcoholic alternative while retaining much of the herbaceous, sweet, and slightly bitter character. It originates from Italian/French aperitif traditions and brings floral, spice and botanical notes (clove, citrus peel, wormwood‑type bitterness) to cocktails. You’ll find it in specialty non‑alcohol sections, some liquor stores, or online, and you can substitute regular sweet vermouth if alcohol is acceptable, or mimic it with black grape or concord juice sweetened slightly and spiced with a few dashes of aromatic bitters and orange peel.

Ingredient Spotlight

Luxardo or high-quality maraschino cherries

Luxardo cherries are Italian Marasca cherries preserved in a rich syrup by the Luxardo brand (and similar premium makers); unlike the neon‑red supermarket maraschinos, they’re dark, dense, intensely cherry‑fruited with a slightly bitter, almond‑like note. They come from a long European candied‑fruit tradition and are prized as cocktail garnishes for their depth and syrup (Luxardo cherries and syrups are common in classic cocktails). Buy them at well‑stocked liquor stores, gourmet markets, or online (brands: Luxardo, Fabbri); if needed, use good quality brandied or jarred cherries or make a quick poached‑cherry syrup at home, but avoid standard bright red supermarket maraschinos if you want authentic flavor.