Twenty Eight: Downtown Rio

One last blast on the cachaca front - it turns out that I've only got two weeks to put together a recipe for the 2010 Cocktail World Cup, so the next batch of drinks are going to be more focused on a certain Antipodean vodka. Anyhow, aged cachaca worked pretty well in a twist on the traditional Old-Fashioned. How does it fare in a modified Manhattan?

Good, as it happens. Abelha Gold is aged for three years but it won't stand up to a particularly robust style of sweet vermouth, so it's probably worth leaving the Punt E Mes and the Dubonnet in the fridge.

Downtown Rio

50ml Abelha Gold cachaça
20ml Martini Rosso
1 barspoon maraschino liqueur
2 dashes Angostura Orange bitters

Stir all ingredients with ice and fine-strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with an orange zest twist.