Ravenswood

The Ravenswood is a complex, stirred cocktail that beautifully showcases the spicy notes of rye whiskey. It's a Manhattan variation of sorts, but it carves its own identity with the unique combination of Amaro Meletti, which adds hints of violet, saffron, and caramel, and Luxardo Maraschino for a funky, sweet complexity. The result is a bold, elegant, and deeply flavorful drink perfect for sipping.
Ravenswood

Preparation

Preparation time: 3 minutes

Preparation time
Difficulty

Drink Classification

The Ravenswood is categorized as a modern classic cocktail, perfect for serving as a digestif after a meal due to its rich, bittersweet, and spirit-forward character.

Serving

Serve this potent, spirit-forward cocktail well-chilled in a chilled coupe or Nick & Nora glass to maintain its crisp temperature and elegant presentation.
Serving size
Approximately 90 ml / 3 oz
Alcohol content
Approximately 30-35% ABV
Alcohol strength
Serving temperature
Cold
Glass type
Coupe
Glass treatment
Chilled

Backstory

The Ravenswood was created by bartender Erick Castro while he was at Polite Provisions in San Diego, California. It is considered a modern classic in the craft cocktail world, praised for its clever balance and use of the less common Amaro Meletti. The drink's name evokes a sense of dark elegance, much like its flavor profile.
Origin
United States, San Diego, created by Erick Castro in the early 2010s.

Ravenswood

The drink is consistently known by its original name, Ravenswood, and does not have any widely recognized alternative names or aliases.
Original name
Ravenswood

Characteristics overview

The Ravenswood presents a complex, bittersweet flavor profile with a silky texture and a long, warming finish. Its deep amber hue and aromas of spice and orange make it an inviting sipper, especially fitting for cooler evenings.
Flavor
Spirit-forward, bittersweet, complex, herbal, spicy, cherry, caramel, dark chocolate, violet
Aroma
Rye spice, orange zest, dark fruits, subtle floral and herbal notes
Taste balance
Bittersweet, spirituous, slightly sweet
Aftertaste
Long, warming, bittersweet, complex, herbal
Fizziness
None, still
Color appearance
Deep amber, reddish-brown, clear
Texture
Silky, smooth, rich
Seasonality
Year-round, particularly suited for Autumn and Winter

Flavor intensity & Experience

The flavor is intense and spirit-forward, dominated by a balance of bitterness from the amaro and spiciness from the rye, with underlying sweetness and fruitiness. This is a strong, still cocktail with no carbonation.
Sweetness
Saltiness
Sourness
Bitterness
Spiciness
Fruitiness
Creaminess
Carbonation

Ingredients

This cocktail requires a spicy rye whiskey, the specific and bittersweet Amaro Meletti, and a touch of complex Luxardo Maraschino liqueur. A dash of orange bitters completes the recipe.
  • Rye Whiskey60 ml / 2 oz
    Rittenhouse Bottled-in-Bond is the traditional choice for its high proof and spicy character.
  • Amaro Meletti22.5 ml / 0.75 oz
    A key ingredient for its unique profile of saffron, violet, and caramel. Hard to substitute perfectly.
  • Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur7.5 ml / 0.25 oz
    Adds a funky, complex sweetness and cherry-almond note.
  • Orange Bitters1 dash
    Helps to brighten the drink and tie the other flavors together.

Ice type

  • Cubed

Mixing equipments

You will need standard stirring equipment: a mixing glass, a jigger for measuring, a bar spoon to stir, and a strainer to serve.
  • Mixing glass: for combining and chilling the ingredients.
  • Bar spoon: for stirring the cocktail.
  • Jigger: for accurate measurement.
  • Strainer: for pouring the chilled drink without ice.

Instructions

To make the Ravenswood, stir all liquid ingredients with ice in a mixing glass, then strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish by expressing an orange twist over the drink and dropping it in.
1. Chill your coupe or Nick & Nora glass in the freezer or by filling it with ice water.
2. Combine the rye whiskey, Amaro Meletti, Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur, and orange bitters in a mixing glass.
3. Fill the mixing glass with ice cubes.
4. Stir well with a bar spoon for about 20-25 seconds until the mixture is well-chilled and properly diluted.
5. If you used ice water to chill your glass, discard it. Strain the cocktail into the chilled glass.
6. Take a fresh orange peel, hold it over the drink, and twist it to express the oils onto the surface of the cocktail.
7. Garnish with the orange twist and serve immediately.

Garnishing

A simple but essential orange twist serves as the garnish, its expressed oils adding a bright citrus aroma that complements the cocktail's flavors.
  • Orange twist: express the oils over the drink's surface and drop it in or place it on the rim.

Dietary Information

This cocktail is vegan and free from caffeine, dairy, eggs, and nuts. However, as it is made with rye whiskey, it is not gluten-free.
✓ Contains alcohol
✓ Caffeine-free
✓ Dairy-free
✓ Egg-free
✓ Soy-free
✓ Nut-free
✕ Gluten-free
✓ Vegan-friendly
✓ Vegetarian-friendly

Nutrition information

This is a moderately caloric cocktail due to the spirits and liqueurs, containing around 235 calories and 10 grams of sugar per serving.
Calories
Averagely 220-250 kcal / 920-1046 kJ
Calories level
Carbohydrates
Averagely 10-12 g
Carbohydrate level
Sugar
Averagely 9-11 g
Sugar level

Occasions

This cocktail is an excellent choice for a sophisticated evening, as an after-dinner drink, or for a cocktail enthusiast looking to explore modern classics. Its robust character also makes it suitable for a quiet night of sipping and contemplation.
  • After Dinner
  • Cocktail Party
  • Relaxing Evening

Pairing suggestions

The Ravenswood pairs wonderfully with rich and savory items that can stand up to its bold profile. Consider serving it alongside dark chocolate, a cheese plate featuring hard, aged cheeses, or a selection of charcuterie.
  • Dark chocolate
  • Charcuterie board with aged meats
  • Hard, nutty cheeses like aged cheddar or Pecorino
  • Cigars

The Ravenswood: A Symphony of Spice and Bittersweet Elegance

The Ravenswood is an elegant, spirit-forward modern classic that offers a journey of complex flavors. Starting with the spicy backbone of rye whiskey, it unfolds into the bittersweet, chocolatey, and floral notes of Amaro Meletti, finishing with a hint of cherry-like sweetness from Maraschino liqueur. It is a perfectly balanced sipper, ideal for those who appreciate a sophisticated, stirred cocktail with depth and character. Best enjoyed chilled in a coupe glass, it serves as a fantastic digestif or a contemplative evening drink.

Similar Cocktails

Brooklyn

Uses dry vermouth and Amer Picon (or a substitute like Ramazzotti or CioCiaro) instead of Amaro Meletti.

Red Hook

A variation of the Brooklyn that uses Punt e Mes vermouth instead of dry vermouth and Amer Picon.

Black Manhattan

Swaps sweet vermouth for an amaro, typically Averna, creating a similarly rich, bittersweet profile but without the Maraschino.

You May Also Like

Chilcano

A supremely refreshing and simple Peruvian highball made with pisco, lime juice, ginger ale, and bitters.

Three Dots and a Dash

A complex and potent classic tiki cocktail featuring multiple rums, allspice dram, and tropical juices, garnished distinctively to represent a secret message.

Old Fashioned

A timeless and sophisticated cocktail featuring whiskey, sugar, and bitters, garnished with an expressive orange peel.

Coffee Negroni

A robust and aromatic twist on the classic Negroni, featuring the rich, deep flavors of coffee for a perfect bittersweet experience.

Have You Tried These Yet?

Black Velvet

A striking, layered cocktail made with equal parts stout beer and sparkling wine.

Scotch & Coconut

A surprisingly refreshing and complex highball combining smoky peated Scotch with the tropical sweetness of coconut water.

Spaghetti Western

A bittersweet and complex rye whiskey cocktail featuring two distinct Italian amari, Amaro Montenegro and Cynar.

White Nun

A cool and creamy cocktail that adds a refreshing peppermint twist to the classic White Russian.