Crave's Japalac is a throwback to pre-Prohibition days

drinkerific

The renaissance of classic cocktails continues, this time at Crave in St. Louis Park. From the alternate universe that is the West End complex, this drink is a bit of a takeoff of a dry Manhattan--rye whiskey was used to prepare the Manhattan before Prohibition, and bourbon was used after-- given a splash of fruity sweetness to tame the rye's burn. This cocktail recipe also dates to pre-Prohibition--the recipe can be found in The Old Waldorf- Astoria Bar Book.

Crave's Japalac is very true to the original recipe, using rye whiskey, orange juice, raspberry syrup, and dry vermouth. The scent is a little bitter, like Campari, but the fruity notes fill in the gaps and make this drink whole and balanced--not too strong or too sweet. An excellent sip on a sunny day, and would also be a good winter warmer--thus the beauty of these versatile flavors. The original was served straight up, which might be a good choice so the ice melt doesn't change the flavor.