El Capitán

COCKTAIL INGREDIENTS:
- 60 ml Pisco
(Preferably Acholado. Although, I used Quebranta and it was also tasty.)
- 30 ml Sweet Vermouth
- 2 Dashes of Angostura Bitters

GARNISH:
- Green Olive
- Lemon Twist

INSTRUCTIONS:
• Combine all of the ingredients in a mixing glass.
• Add ice and stir for 30-45 sec. or approx. 60 revolutions.
• Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
• Garnish with a twist of lemon and a green olive.

Cocktail author: El Capitán is a Peruvian cocktail dating back to the beginning of the twentieth century. This particular recipe has been adapted by Mike Ryan.

Manhattan is an incredibly popular boozy cocktail with countless riffs created by countless number of bartenders throughout the years. So, in this cocktail category it can be difficult to find something new that can surprise you. Fortunately, in my case, El Capitán checked all of these boxes and managed to more than exceed my expectations.

Cocktail build is incredibly simple, consisting of just three ingredients: pisco, sweet vermouth and angostura bitters. Recommended for the cocktail was ancholado pisco, which is made from a blend of pisco grape varieties, usually resulting in a more aromatic and fruitier spirit. I did not have one at hand so I grabbed a bottle of puro quebranta pisco with notes of ripe pear, apples and, of course, grapes which worked really well. Addition of sweet vermouth brings various herbal and fruity notes to supplement and build on the taste of the base spirit. A touch of Angostura bitters adds a little bit of spice to bring some individual tasting notes to the forefront and finish off the cocktail. For garnish take a single green olive, which with its tangy brine notes will ensure a richer tastier drinking experience.

El Capitán is a truly delicious cocktail with a long history and is definitely worth a taste. So, if you ever feel like trying something new on the Manhattan front, look no further and give El Capitán a chance.

Source material:
https://vinepair.com/cocktail-college/el-capitan/