cocktaildna

Havana, Cuba

Remember the Maine

Also known as Remember the Maine Cocktail

A rye Manhattan variation laced with cherry liqueur and a whisper of absinthe, named after the Spanish-American War rallying cry.

ryecherryherbalanisespirit-forwardsweet vermouthabsinthesippingcomplexwarm

%

ABV

Difficulty

Remember the Maine

Overview

What this drink is like

The first sip hits with rye spice and sweet vermouth richness, then the cherry comes through underneath, soft and dark. The absinthe floats in at the edges with a faint anise hum that lingers long after you set the glass down.

Who will like it

For people who like spirit-forward, herbal drinks with a sweet edge — think Manhattan fans who want something a little more going on.

When to drink

This is a cold-weather evening drink, the kind you order when you're settling in for the night, not rushing off.

Ordering tip

Ask for it with Rittenhouse or another high-rye bourbon if the bar doesn't carry a good rye — it needs that spice to cut through the sweetness.

Ice: NoneTemp: ColdCost: $3–$6Glass: CoupeBatch-friendlyMake aheadHome bar friendly

Flavor

Taste profile

This is a drink that starts warm and spicy from the rye, then opens up with dark cherry sweetness and the herbal murmur of absinthe lurking underneath. It's not a cocktail that hits you with one big flavor — instead, each sip peels back a layer. The sweetness is real but not cloying, held in check by the whiskey's pepper and the bitters' dry edge. It sits heavy in the glass in a good way, the kind of drink you nurse slowly.

Finish: The finish runs long and warm, with rye spice and a faint anise whisper hanging around after the cherry fades.

Primary tastes

herbalsweetspicy

Secondary

fruitybitterearthy

Aroma

cherryaniserye spicedark fruit
  • Bitternessmildly bitter

    A gentle bitterness from the absinthe and bitters sits in the background without taking over.

  • Sweetnessnoticeably sweet

    The sweet vermouth and Cherry Heering push this firmly into sweet territory, balanced by the rye's bite.

  • Strengthstrong

    Rye-forward and stirred, this drinks like the spirit-heavy cocktail it is.

  • Refreshingnot refreshing

    This is a sipping drink meant to warm and linger, not quench your thirst.

  • Creaminesslight body

    The vermouth and Cherry Heering give it some weight on the tongue, but it's still a clean, stirred drink.

  • Complexityfairly complex

    Layered flavors from the rye spice, cherry sweetness, herbal absinthe, and vermouth keep revealing new notes with each sip.

Recipe

Make it at home

Stirred · Coupe · equal parts on Rye Whiskey. A bold, spicy rye like Rittenhouse or Bulleit Rye works best

Before you start

Stick your coupe glass in the freezer for a few minutes before you start. Pull out your bottles and a fresh ice cube tray — you want solid, cold ice for stirring.

Ingredients

  • Rye WhiskeyBase SpiritA bold, spicy rye like Rittenhouse or Bulleit Rye works best60ml
  • Sweet VermouthVermouthCocchi di Torino or Carpano Antica work well30ml
  • Cherry HeeringLiqueurPeter Heering is the standard brand; don't substitute with maraschino unless you want a drier drink7.5ml
  • AbsintheOtherJust a rinse's worth; Pernod or Herbsaint work if you don't have absinthe2 dashes
  • Angostura BittersBitters2 dashes

Garnish: Brandied cherry

Tools

  • Mixing glass · Mixing

    To combine and stir the ingredients with ice for chilling and dilution

    At home: A large pint glass or mason jar

  • Bar spoon · Mixing

    To stir the drink smoothly without splashing

    At home: A long-handled spoon or chopstick

  • Jigger · Measuring

    To measure the rye, vermouth, and Cherry Heering accurately

    At home: A measuring spoon or shot glass with markings

  • Hawthorne strainer · Straining

    To strain the ice out when pouring into the glass

    At home: A fine mesh sieve or tea strainer

  • Coupe glass · Serving

    To serve the drink chilled and up, without ice

    At home: A small wine glass or martini glass

Ingredients and tools to make Remember the Maine
Ingredients and tools

Steps

  1. 1

    Grab your mixing glass and measure out 60ml rye whiskey, 30ml sweet vermouth, and 7.5ml Cherry Heering using your jigger. Pour each one into the mixing glass — no ice yet.

    Step 1 — how to make Remember the Maine

    !Adding ice before all the spirits are measured slows you down and waters down the pour.

  2. 2

    Add 2 dashes of Angostura bitters and 2 dashes of absinthe directly into the mixing glass. Go easy on the absinthe — it's powerful stuff and too much will hijack the whole drink.

    Step 2 — how to make Remember the Maine

    !Over-pouring the absinthe turns the drink into an anise bomb that buries everything else.

  3. 3

    Fill the mixing glass about three-quarters full with ice — big cubes if you have them, since they melt slower and give you more control. The ice should sit above the liquid line.

    Step 3 — how to make Remember the Maine

    !Using small, already-melting ice over-dilutes the drink before it's properly cold.

  4. 4

    Stir steadily with your bar spoon for about 20 to 30 seconds, moving the ice in smooth circles around the glass. You'll know you're done when the outside of the mixing glass feels cold to the touch and there's a light frost forming on it.

    ~25s

    Step 4 — how to make Remember the Maine

    !Stirring too fast or aggressively chips the ice and clouds the drink.

  5. 5

    Take your chilled coupe glass out of the freezer. Set the Hawthorne strainer over the top of the mixing glass and pour the drink through the strainer into the coupe. Pour slowly so you don't splash.

    Step 5 — how to make Remember the Maine

    !Pouring too fast can let small ice chips slip past the strainer into the glass.

  6. 6

    Drop a brandied cherry into the glass. Serve it right away while it's still cold — this drink doesn't wait around.

    Step 6 — how to make Remember the Maine

Serve

Serve it up in a chilled coupe with a brandied cherry. Drink it soon — stirred drinks warm up fast once they hit the glass.

Variations

Ingredient substitutions

Each row shows what you can swap in place of an original ingredient, and how the drink changes.

Swap options for Rye Whiskey

  • Rye WhiskeyBourbon Whiskey
    Match
    Common availability

    Rye Whiskey → Bourbon Whiskey: Sweeter and softer with less spice, making the drink rounder but less punchy.

Swap options for Cherry Heering

  • Cherry HeeringMaraschino Liqueur
    Match
    Specialty availability

    Cherry Heering → Maraschino Liqueur: Drier and more almond-like than cherry — the drink loses its dark fruit sweetness and becomes leaner.

Swap options for Absinthe

  • AbsinthePastis
    Match
    Common availability

    Absinthe → Pastis: Similar anise character but slightly sweeter and less herbal — works fine in a pinch.

  • AbsintheHerbsaint
    Match
    Specialty availability

    Absinthe → Herbsaint: Close to absinthe with a lighter anise profile — nearly seamless swap at this small quantity.

Related

Similar cocktails

Cousin drinks that share DNA with this one — each profile stands on its own.

Manhattan

Similar cocktail

Manhattan

The Manhattan is cleaner and simpler, while Remember the Maine adds cherry sweetness and absinthe complexity.

Match

Both drinks share the same rye-vermouth core, but Remember the Maine is sweeter and more complex with its cherry and absinthe additions, while the Manhattan stays focused on the whiskey.

In common: spirit-forward, stirred, served up, rye and vermouth backbone

Ingredients

Both share

Rye Whiskey, Sweet Vermouth, Angostura Bitters

Only in Remember the Maine

Cherry Heering, Absinthe

Remember the Maine builds on the Manhattan's foundation by adding Cherry Heering for dark fruit sweetness and a dash of absinthe for herbal depth.

Flavor

Shared flavors

rye spice backbone, sweet vermouth richness, bittersweet finish

How Manhattan differs

cherry sweetness, anise herbal edge, more layered

View recipe & details →

Red Hook

Similar cocktail

Red Hook

Red Hook uses maraschino liqueur instead of Cherry Heering, making it drier and more austere.

Match

Red Hook is the leaner, drier cousin — the maraschino gives it an almond-like dryness where Remember the Maine leans into cherry richness and absinthe intrigue.

In common: spirit-forward, stirred, served up, rye base

Ingredients

Both share

Rye Whiskey, Sweet Vermouth

Only in Remember the Maine

Cherry Heering, Absinthe, Angostura Bitters

Only in Red Hook

Maraschino Liqueur

Both are rye-vermouth cocktails with a liqueur accent, but the liqueurs go in different directions — cherry sweetness versus maraschino dryness.

Flavor

Shared flavors

rye-forward, vermouth sweetness, short and stirred

How Red Hook differs

drier profile, almond notes from maraschino, less herbal

View recipe & details →

History

Origin

Charles H. Baker Jr. published this recipe in his 1946 book The Gentleman's Companion, attributing it to a drinking session in Havana during the 1930s. The name borrows from the Spanish-American War rallying cry after the USS Maine sank in Havana harbor in 1898.

Creator
Charles H. Baker Jr.
Era
1930s
Confidence

The original Baker recipe uses significantly more Cherry Heering (1 pony / ~30ml) than modern interpretations. Most contemporary bars use 7.5ml or less. The exact proportions vary by source.

Practical

Tips & pitfalls

What works at home and what to skip when making this drink.

Tips

Worth knowing before you pour

  • Cherry Heering is worth seeking out — nothing else gives that same dark cherry depth.
  • If your sweet vermouth has been open more than a month, it's past its prime for this drink.
  • Stir longer than you think — the dilution is what makes the flavors open up.
  • A barspoon of Cherry Heering works if you don't have a jigger that small.

Avoid

Common mistakes

  • Don't skip the absinthe — even two dashes change the whole drink.
  • Don't use cheap sweet vermouth — it's a third of the drink and you'll taste every corner cut.
  • Don't shake this — it'll cloud up and lose the silky texture.