Yarai Mixing Glass
My good friend James was kind enough to get me this Yarai Mixing Glass as a housewarming gift. It took its sweet time in getting here, but now that it is, I am thrilled. This mixing glass is a work of art. The heavy base allows one to stir a drink without holding the glass, freeing the other hand to shake or stir another drink. The glass itself is a perfect circumference, giving the user an excellent range of motion for the bar spoon and a fine window into the drink's level of dilution.
For my inaugural drink in my new mixing glass, I wanted to make a classic stirred cocktail that would truly help me appreciate this method of mixing. The Manhattan was the first cocktail I ever learned to make, and it remains one of my all-time favorites. Different choices of base spirit and vermouth will result in different optimum ratios, and personal taste also makes a huge impact, but for my money, 3:1 is is my baseline, and for Eagle Rare 10 year and Cocchi Vermouth di Torino, it was perfect.
Manhattan1.5 oz Bourbon (Eagle Rare).5 oz Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi Vermouth di Torino)Dash of Aromatic Bitters (Angostura)Stir slowly over cracked ice, and gently strain into a cocktail glass. Classic garnish is a cherry, but I do not always have brandied cherries on hand, and it's not a big deal.*
I can't believe I'd been stirring drinks this long in the stainless steel half of my Boston shaker, when stirred perfection was just a quick order away. If you love stirred drinks as much as I do, the control and precision offered by the Yarai mixing glass is simply a must-have.My only complaint is that even with the weighted base, the glass can slip around a little bit on a low-friction surface. An attentive mixologist will place it upon a mat or towel for stabilization.*Normally, the garnish is immensely important, as it forms the backbone of the drink's aroma. Cherries are the one exception, as they contribute nothing to the aroma at all. Don't even waste your time with those red superball "maraschino" cherries -- they suck. If you have a truly delicious brandied cherry, that's worth it, but it does not make the drink itself any better. It's just a tasty snack.