The Dutch Manhattan — Jenever Aged on Bourbon Oak

What You’ll Need:
A Deer Jimmy’s® bottle filled with jonge jenever and aged on bourbon barrel chips. After aging: sweet vermouth, aromatic bitters, ice, and a mixing glass. Serve in a chilled coupe or over a large cube.

Step One: Age Tradition into Something New

Start with jonge jenever — clean, malty, and herbaceous. Age it on bourbon oak chips, and something unexpected happens. The malt deepens. The edge softens. Vanilla and caramel from the charred oak blend into the grain’s backbone. After a few weeks, you’ve got a hybrid spirit that drinks like a whisky but still carries the soul of Holland. It’s the best of both worlds — familiar, yet totally new.

Step Two: Stir with Respect

In a mixing glass, combine your aged jenever with a good pour of sweet vermouth and a few dashes of aromatic bitters. Add ice and stir slowly. You’re not looking for dilution — you’re looking for clarity and chill. Strain it into a coupe or let it rest over one big cube. However you serve it, it deserves a moment of silence before that first sip.

Step Three: Meet the Dutch Gentleman

The Dutch Manhattan doesn’t hit you with rye spice or Islay smoke. It greets you with roundness. Malty warmth. Soft oak. Then, mid-palate, the bourbon barrel whispers in — vanilla, toast, a little dark fruit. The vermouth adds depth. The bitters bring focus. It’s smoother than the classic, but no less serious. And the finish? Long, dry, slightly herbal. Like a bow tie with muddy boots.

A Classic, Rewritten in Your Language

You didn’t buy this bottle off a shelf. You built it. You aged it. You blended heritage and craft into something worthy of a slow pour and a raised eyebrow. The Dutch Manhattan is more than a twist — it’s a statement. A cocktail that proves tradition doesn’t have to be followed blindly. Sometimes, it needs a new accent and a little Dutch courage.