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Cocktail History
The Remember The Maine is a vintage cocktail that was created in Cuba in the 1930s before it was eventually discovered by Charles H. Baker during the Cuban Revolution and was published in his book The Gentleman’s Companion. Described as part Manhattan and part Sazerac, it also calls for rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, and absinthe but adds deep cherry flavors that make it entirely different from the other classics. Though the recipe gained fame around the time Baker’s book was published, its name refers to the Maine, a U.S. naval ship whose sinking sparked the Spanish American War thirty-five years earlier.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Rye: This is a type of whiskey made with at least 51% rye grain, malted barley, corn, and water. We used Heaven Hill Distillery Rittenhouse Rye because it has a rich and clean taste with notes of nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla, cocoa, and citrus. For a mocktail version of this drink, try The Gospel Responsible Rye Non-Alcoholic Whiskey in place of the whiskey.
Sweet Vermouth: This is a fortified wine made with grapes, sugar, botanicals, herbs, sugar, and alcohol. We used Dolin Vermouth de Chambery Rouge because it’s a high quality vermouth with notes of herbs, coriander, hyssop, rhubarb, and citrus. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Lyre’s Non-Alcoholic Apéritif Rosso in place of the sweet vermouth.
Heering Cherry Liqueur: This is a liqueur made in Denmark with Stevens cherries, baking spices, almonds, sugar, and alcohol. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Monin Premium Cherry Syrup in place of the cherry liqueur.
Absinthe: This is a spirit made with anise, wormwood, fennel, botanicals, and alcohol. We used Great Lakes Distillery Amerique 1912 Absinthe Verte because it’s flavorful and made locally to us. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Lyre’s Non-Alcoholic Absinthe in place of the absinthe.
Cherry: This is a fruit that has been soaked in brandy and rich syrup. We used Luxardo Maraschino Cherries because they’re high quality and delicious.
Bartending Tools
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:
Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. We used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Mixing Glass: This is used to hold the ingredients while they’re being stirred. We used the Viski 17 oz Cocktail Mixing Glass.
Bar Spoon: This is used to stir ingredients. We used the Barfly Stainless Steel Teardrop Bar Spoon.
Julep Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is stirred. We used the A Bar Above Julep Strainer.
Cocktail Pick: This is used to hold the garnish. We used one from the I-MART Stainless Steel Cocktail Pick Set.
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Tasting Notes
The Remember The Maine begins with notable absinthe aromas and leads with a punchy rye-forward taste that is rounded out with some cherry and vanilla sweetness, and it has a spicy but smooth finish with another lasting hit of anise.
Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: If you already enjoy the formerly mentioned cocktails and their boozy flavors like Alex does, you’ll find this one to be very pleasing. He especially loved the Remember The Maine’s balance of spiciness and sweetness and thought it unseated the Manhattan in his personal rankings. Kendall, on the other hand, found the flavors to be a bit too spirit-forward for her liking but agreed with Alex’s opinion of this being at the top of the list in this family of recipes.
Kendall’s Take: ⭐⭐
“My palate is much more underdeveloped than Alex’s is, so I don’t yet enjoy the taste of Manhattans or Sazeracs. And since this is essentially one of those with cherry added, I didn’t love this one either. It was certainly more palatable than a classic Manhattan thanks for the cherry liqueur, but I still shivered from the bitters and booziness.”
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was adapted from The Essential Cocktail Book: A Complete Guide to Modern Drinks by the editors of PUNCH and Megan Krigbaum.
This post contains affiliate links, meaning we make a small commission each time you purchase a product using our links. Product images sourced from Amazon Product Advertising API. Amazon affiliate links last updated on 2024-10-12.
Remember The Maine
The Remember The Maine is a vintage cocktail that was created in Cuba in the 1930s before it was eventually discovered by Charles H. Baker during the Cuban Revolution and was published in his book The Gentleman’s Companion. Described as part Manhattanand part Sazerac, it also calls for rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, and absinthe but adds deep cherry flavors that make it entirely different from the other classics. Though the recipe gained fame around the time Baker’s book was published, its name refers to the Maine, a U.S. naval ship whose sinking sparked the Spanish American War thirty-five years earlier.
Ingredients
Method
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Rinse cocktail glass with absinthe by adding a dash to the glass, rolling it around until it's coated, and discarding the excess.
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Add rye, sweet vermouth, cherry liqueur, and cubed ice a to a mixing glass.
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Stir for 30-45 seconds.
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Strain into absinthe-rinsed cocktail glass.
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Garnish with cherry.