Cosmo’s Urban Cousin? — The Metropolitan

When I say Cosmo, I don’t mean Cosmo Kramer from Seinfeld.  I mean the Cosmopolitan, which became very popular courtesy of Sex and the City.   A properly made Cosmopolitan with quality ingredients is a fine drink, even if people think I’m gay if I have one (not that there’s anything wrong with that).   While my research indicates there are some versions of a Metropolitan that resemble the Cosmopolitan, this isn’t one of them:

2.25 ounces VSOP or XO brandy
1 ounce sweet vermouth (preferably Carpano Antica)
.33 ounces super simple syrup
2 dashes Angostura bitters

Combine in a shaker with ice, stir with the sophisticated demeanor of someone far classier than Jerry, George (my favorite), Elaine, or Kramer, then strain into a chilled glass.

If you like a Manhattan or an Old Fashioned, you’ll probably like the Metropolitan.  It essentially substitutes brandy for bourbon.  Feel free to adjust the ratios of the ingredients to suite how sweet (or not) you want the drink to be.  Be the master of your cocktail domain.