The Corduroy: A Rye and Cardamaro Cocktail

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We created this simple cocktail for its frank, cozy comfort. Its name comes from its two main ingredients — Cardamaro and rye — and also from the unassuming way in which it warms you right up. Find all our best cocktails here.

Why we love this recipe

We love the Corduroy for its simple but sophisticated vibe. Rye whiskey lays the strong, solid groundwork for this drink, and Cardamaro works its subtly sweet, pleasantly bitter, gently vegetal magic. A couple of dashes of orange bitters round out the flavor without overcomplicating things.

This cocktail is great anytime but especially when you're in the mood for cozy, gently sophisticated comfort.

Cocktail ingredients

Here's all you'll need to make a Corduroy:

• Rye whiskey
• Cardamaro
• Orange bitters
• An orange twist to garnish

How to make a Corduroy rye and Cardamaro cocktail

This stirred cocktail is easy to make. Here's what you'll do. You can see all the steps in action in the video that accompanies this post.

• Fill a mixing glass halfway with ice.
• Pour in the rye, Cardamaro, and orange bitters. To make the drink stronger and less sweet, use 1 ½ ounces Cardamaro. To make it smoother and rounder, use 2 ounces.
• Stir well until you can feel that the outside of the mixing glass is very cold.
• Strain into an ice-filled old-fashioned glass and garnish with an orange twist.

What is Cardamaro?

Cardamaro is an Italian vino amaro — a wine-based amaro. It has a relatively low alcohol content at 17% ABV and is great to sip on its own or as a cocktail ingredient. Cardamaro is made from cardoon and blessed thistle, which are relatives of the artichoke, and it's often called a gentler cousin of Cynar.

Cardamaro adds gentle bitterness, sweetness, and a pleasant vegetal character to cocktails. For stronger drinks, you can use it in place of sweet vermouth. It mixes particularly well with whiskeys and apple brandies. For much lighter drinks, you can use it in place of whiskey.

Or sip on its own as an aperitif or a digestif. Try it with salty cheeses, nuts, and charcuterie.

As with other fortified wines, its low-alcohol content gives it a relatively short shelf life, so keep it in the fridge after opening and use it within two to three months.

Don't miss another of our favorites

The Colt's Neck is a lighter take on Cardamaro, with Laird's apple brandy and ginger beer.

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The Corduroy: A Rye and Cardamaro Cocktail

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We created the Corduroy when we were looking for some cozy, uncomplicated yet still nuanced comfort. This rye and Cardamaro cocktail is incredibly quick and easy to make but has a nice complexity due to the magic of Cardamaro.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Total Time 5 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 ounces rye whiskey
• 1 ½ to 2 ounces Cardamaro
• 2 dashes orange bitters
• Orange twist, to garnish

Instructions

1. Fill a mixing glass halfway with ice.
2. Pour in rye, Cardamaro, and bitters. For a slightly drier and stronger drink, use 1 ½ ounces Cardamaro. For a slightly rounder one, use 2 ounces Cardamaro.
3. Stir well until you can feel the outside of the mixing glass get very cold.
4. Strain into an ice-filled old-fashioned glass, garnish with an orange twist, and serve.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Williams Sonoma Classic Old-Fashioned Glasses, Set of 4
• 
  Bar Spoon with Muddler
• 
  Hatch Mixing Glass
• 
  Williams Sonoma King Cube Tray with Lid, Set of 2

Nutrition Information:

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 200

Did you make this recipe?

We'd love to see! Tag us on Instagram at @umamgirl and use the hashtag #umamigirl. We'll reshare our favorites.