Sixth City

Coined in the 1970s, the nickname, “The Mistake By The Lake” has long been one that haunted Cleveland. This is just one of many nicknames the city has had, including The Land, The Rock and Roll Capital of the World, and The Sixth City (a nod to the population of Cleveland at one point). Cleveland is a great city though, and to celebrate Cleveland’s comeback, the Cavs win, and the tribe being on a roll, I present the Sixth City Cocktail. A touch sweet, slightly spicy, and smooth, it’s a delicious drink for those who like Manhattans.

• 2 oz Cognac
• 3/4 oz Sweet Vermouth
• 1 Barspoon Dom’s B&B
• 2 Raspberries (Garnish – Thanks Draymond)

Combine cognac, sweet vermouth, and Dom’s B&B in a shaker. Add ice, shake, and strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with 2 raspberries, and enjoy.

Sixth City Notes

The Sixth City is a relatively straightforward drink, but there’s still a few notes.

• Cognac – If you wouldn’t drink it on it’s own, I don’t recommend owning it.  The same goes for the Cognac here.  A brandy swap might be fun if you’re feeling adventurous
• Sweet Vermouth – As always, the better the quality of the vermouth, the better the drink.  My preference to not break the bank is Martini & Rossi Sweet Vermouth
• B&B – There really are no substitutes for this one.  Yes, the bottle is a little pricy, but the sweet, spicy, herbed liqueur inside is well worth the money.
• Constructing the Drink – For a sweeter drink, increase the sweet vermouth or B&B.  To make it stronger, drop the sweet vermouth portion to a 1/2 oz
• Garnish – The raspberries are festive and fun for the summer, but don’t feel compelled to stick with raspberry.  Cherries will also work here, but unlike most drinks with 3 garnishes, the Sixth City goes with 2.  This is a hat tip to Draymond Green for his help with the finals.