| mulling spice mix | |
| rye whiskey | |
| sweet vermouth | |
| Angostura bitters | |
| maraschino cherry | |
| whole star anise |
To make the spiced sweet vermouth, add 2 tablespoons of Selefina mulling spices to a small sauté pan. Heat over low, stirring frequently, until the spices become fragrant. Heat for two more minutes, stirring constantly so the spices don’t burn. Remove pan from heat and allow spices to cool. Add spices to a clean glass bottle or jar and pour in the entire contents of a 375 ml bottle of Italian sweet (red) vermouth. Let sit for 48 hours, shaking occasionally. Place a funnel into the neck of the original sweet vermouth bottle. Line the funnel with cheesecloth and pour the infused vermouth back into the bottle, straining out the mulling spices. Discard the mulling spices.
To make the cocktail, add 2 ounces rye whiskey, 3/4 ounce of infused sweet vermouth, and 2 dashes of bitters to a cocktail shaker or mixing glass. Add ice and stir for approximately 30 seconds. Double-strain into a chilled coupe or cocktail glass. Garnish with a maraschino cherry on a cocktail pick and a whole star anise. Hold a flame to the star anise until it smokes for extra aroma.
Infused sweet vermouth can be refrigerated for several months, but its flavor is best when used within a few weeks
Double straining a cocktail means using one strainer in the mixing glass to hold back the ice, plus a fine-mesh strainer positioned over your glass. You pour directly through the fine-mesh strainer. It filters out ice chips that may have broken off during stirring and results in a cleaner cocktail in the glass. If you don’t have a fine-mesh strainer, it’s perfectly fine to single-strain instead.
Vermouth (whether red or white) should always be stored in the refrigerator once opened. If you have a vacuum seal system for open bottles of wine, you can also use that on your vermouth. When purchasing red (sweet) vermouth, look for an Italian brand. When purchasing white (dry or blanc) vermouth, look for a French brand.
