Bluehattan
Trying to figure out what to do with the "Blueshine" we picked up at the Maine Craft Distilling. It's a whiskey flavored with blueberry and maple. Overall it's pretty sweet. The folks at Maine Distillery have a couple of recommended recipes, one of which is patterned after a Manhattan:
- 3 parts Blueshine
- 1 part Benedictine
- 1 part Blanc Vermouth
- 3 dashes of orange bitters
We didn't have some of those ingredients so the following substitutions were made.
- 3 parts Blueshine
- 1 part
BenedictineRiga Black Balsam - 1 part
Blanc VermouthRossi Dry Vermouth - 3 dashes of orange bitters (used Fee Brothers Orange Bitters)
Shaken with ice, served with lemon spray garnish.
Benedictine is described as herbal, and the Black Balsalms is one of the most herbal tasting things in my modest collection. Rossi dry vermouth was substitituted for the blanc vermouth. I think they are similar if not the same.
Tasting notes: quite bitter to my palate but Amy thought it was well-balanced. The Black Balsalm is very bitter, so perhaps that plus the orange bitters was too much for me. I'd make it again, but I would probably reduce the Black Balsam or try one of the other werid herbal liquers in the collection: Vana Tallinn.