Instructions
Chill cocktail glass. Shake whiskey, vermouth, and one dash of bitters over ice. Put the other dash of bitters in the cocktail glass. Strain into cocktail glass. Garnish with a maraschino cherry.
Notes
I split the bitters between the shaker and the glass because I like to fortify the flavor of the bitters in this drink.
You may, of course, use bourbon instead of rye. I prefer rye. The ratio of whiskey to vermouth can vary from about 4:1 to 2:1 according to personal preference. I like to taste the rye with just a bit of vermouth rounding out the flavor. So I go 3:1 rye to vermouth.
You can substitute Peychaud's or orange bitters.
I shake this drink. The rye or bourbon (especially 90 or 100 proof) stand up well to the little ice crystals that form an ice field on top of the drink.