The Inside Out is a gorgeous lower-proof riff on a Reverse Manhattan, courtesy of the brilliant Natasha David of NYC’s Nitecap. After giving sweet vermouth top billing in the ingredient list, David takes out the bitters and replaces them with a bit of mint fernet (Branca Menta, naturally) and a dash of absinthe.
On paper, it sounds like it’d be a total punch to the face – but in practice, the two herbal liqueurs perfectly balance the sweet oxidized-grape notes of the vermouth and play beautifully with the spice of rye.
Unlike most Manhattan riffs, this one isn’t quite as good when bourbon is used in place of rye, so we’ll stick with the recipe as written.
