capovolto

1 3/4 oz Punt e Mes
1 1/4 oz Jim Beam Rye
1/4 oz Maraschino Liqueur
1 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into a coupe glass.

Two Tuesdays ago, we attended an educational soirée hosted by Fratelli Branca company at the Villa Victoria Center in South Boston. The Piccola Italia event featured Italian music, food, and spirits including Fernet Branca, Punt e Mes, Carpano Antica, grappa, and Caffé Borghetti espresso liqueur. For a start, I decided to be taught the beauty of the bitter vermouth Punt e Mes by bartender John Nugent. John's lesson included an inverse Red Hook-like drink that he dubbed the Capovolto, which means upside down or capsized.
The Punt e Mes dominated the aroma that also had hints of rye and Maraschino liqueur. The Punt e Mes' grape flavor filled the sip and its bitter notes began the swallow. After this came the rye whiskey and then the Maraschino's nutty cherry and Angostura Bitter's spice. Indeed, the softer proof of this Manhattan variation made for a pleasant aperitif with which to start the evening.