Monte Carlo
An elegant three-ingredient whiskey cocktail: rye softened by Bénédictine's herbal honey and anchored with Angostura bitters.
Ingredients
- 2 oz rye whiskey
- 0.5 oz Bénédictine
- 2 dashes Angostura bitters
Instructions
- 1Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with ice.
- 2Stir until well chilled.
- 3Strain into a rocks glass over a large ice cube.
Origin & Story
The Monte Carlo is essentially a simplified Vieux Carré — rye or bourbon stirred with Bénédictine and Angostura bitters — and represents one of the cleanest expressions of the Old Fashioned template. Its name evokes the luxury casinos of Monaco, a fitting aspiration for a drink this quietly confident. It appeared in Ted Saucier's 1951 cocktail book and has been a bartender's favorite ever since.
Compare with similar cocktails
You might also like
Manhattan
A smooth, spirit-forward blend of whiskey and sweet vermouth, accented with aromatic bitters. Dark and mysterious.
De La Louisiane
A complex New Orleans stirred cocktail: rye, sweet vermouth, and Bénédictine bound together with absinthe and Peychaud's bitters.
Old Fashioned
The original cocktail. A spirit-forward showcase of whiskey, mellowed slightly with sugar and aromatic bitters.