Manhattan Cocktail

The origins of this cocktail go so far back that it's tough to trust anyone who says they created it. The original drink was named the 'Whiskey Cocktail', as it reflected the characteristics of the classic cocktail formula laid down in 1806; spirit, sugar, water and bitters. The proliferation of new liqueurs available to bartenders from the 1870s resulted in a treadmill of new 'improved' Whiskey Cocktails... but which also led to a revolt amongst those who yearned for the original drink. Hence the Old Fashioned Whiskey Cocktail.

The Boulevardier was born at Harry’s New York Bar, Paris. A regular face here was Erskine Gwynne. American socialite. Founder of literary magazine The Boulevardier (best read before, during and after cocktails). And creator of the namesake drink - as mixed by renowned bartender Harry McElhone. A kind of Negroni made from bourbon rather than gin, The Boulevardier transports you to the polished wood and leather banquettes of the world’s most legendary cocktail bar.

The Whisky Sour was first mentioned in the seminal The Bartender’s Guide: How To Mix Drinks in 1862. Sailors of the Royal Navy had been drinking a very similar concoction for decades. Yet many give the credit for this whiskey-based version to intrepid Englishman Elliott Stubb. He ended up in Iquique, then a part of Peru. He opened a bar – what else? Mixed local limon de pica with whisky and sugar. And created an all-time classic.

Late summer. Evening on a Mediterranean beach. The sun melts to lava and slowly pours into the sea. A group of friends...a fire...an all-time classic song. NIO Cocktails Head Mixologist Patrick Pistolesi wants the moment to last forever. He captures it in his own inspired way. This elegant signature cocktail manages to taste intense and spicy, soft and sweet. You’ll get a freshness from vanilla. A warmth from coffee and bourbon. And a texture like sun.