Monte Carlo

Place your bets on the Monte Carlo. 

Monte Carlo and Manhattan may be half a world apart, but as cocktails they’re basically neighbors. The Manhattan has been a giant in the whiskey cocktail world since the 1870s when it was first invented. Since then, it’s been no secret that it’s spawned about a million variations : the Rob Roy, Brooklyn, Waldorf, Jane Russell, Greenpoint, and Red Hook to name a few. The Monte Carlo may be another Manhattan riff, but don’t lump it in just yet. 

The classic Manhattan formula calls for whiskey + sweetener + bitters. This cocktail doesn’t throw that formula out the window, but it doesn’t stick to it either. Thankfully, rye whiskey and bitters are still involved, but Bénédictine steps up and stands in for the sweetener. It’s a risky gamble, but that’s pretty fitting for a Monte Carlo. 

Bénédictine is a French herbal liqueur that’s been spicing things up since the 16th century. The liqueur is made up of a whopping 27 herbs and spices all blended together according to a secret recipe – so secret that only a few people are allowed to know the recipe at one time. In fact, six of the ingredients are completely unknown to the public. All of these mysterious ingredients and ratios, though, come together to create a richly herbaceous and floral liqueur. 

When combined with spicy, peppery rye whiskey, the Bénédictine blends for a bold, well-rounded cocktail. The Monte Carlo may have been inspired by the Manhattan, but one sip proves these two cocktails are miles apart.