Duck Island Manhattan

We’re continuing our month-long celebration of Manhattan Month with another spirit-forward recipe in the Duck Island Manhattan! This recipe took inspiration from Duck Island here in Cleveland. Duck Island is a popular sub-neighborhood within Tremont. Bordered by Carnegie Avenue to the north, the RTA Red Line to the west, Scranton Road to the east, and Train Avenue to the south. It’s not a real island and actually has nothing to do with ducks at all. It got its name during the Prohibition era when Duck Island became a place where bootleggers would “duck” the law. This piece of land was settled by Connecticut Yankees in the early 1800s with Irish and German immigrants touching down in the 1860s. Back then, Juniper Berries and Ginger were very popular, hence the ingredients in this cocktail!

Juniper Berries have been said to taste just like gin with a slightly piney flavor with a touch of fruitness and pepperiness. We used some Everclear that was infused with Juniper Berries or you can use extra juniper gin. We combined that with our Black Cherry Wood Bourbon, Ginger Liqueur, and Sweet Vermouth. These ingredients create a sweet and spicy taste that is very spirit-forward. Still, the taste is sensational and this is the perfect cocktail to enjoy during the cooler weather. We garnished it with a dehydrated lime wheel to add a classy touch, cheers!