When you crave a good cocktail, it's tough to beat a stirred whiskey drink like the Manhattan or Old Fashioned. These classics are balanced and flavorful, and they contain enough booze to let you know you've accomplished something. But should you desire an impressive drink without as much alcohol, there's the Reverse Manhattan. This cocktail flips the typical Manhattan ratio on its head, making vermouth the star and giving whiskey a supporting role. It's typically made with two parts vermouth to one part whiskey, but you have options. And, naturally, creative bartenders keep finding ways to customize the drink. The Downhill Daring is a Reverse Manhattan variation that was inspired by the Brooklyn cocktail (rye whiskey, dry vermouth, maraschino liqueur and Amer Picon) and Philip Greene's book, “A Drinkable Feast,” which details libations from 1920s Paris. Brian Nixon, the general manager of Truxton Inn and McClellan's Retreat in Washington, D.C., puts the bitter Italian vermouth Punt e Mes front and center and also enlists the charms of Cocchi Americano, a wine-based aperitif. Bourbon provides structure and a boozy kick, Benedictine adds herbal sweetness and two different bitters lend spicy aromatics and zesty citrus. The cocktail has a lot going for it. Punt e Mes brings roasty chocolate notes that pair deftly with Benedictine's herbaceousness and the floral Cocchi Americano. This isn't a low-alcohol drink, but it does put more emphasis on its lower-ABV components. “It's a spirituous cocktail without being as dangerous as a standard Manhattan,” says Nixon. 5 Modern Takes on the Reverse Manhattan