COLUMBIABAR
MacGregor’s serves up festive libations
BY RYAN HUME
T
ucked in the back
room of Morris’
Fireside Restaurant
in Cannon Beach is
the new MacGre-
gor’s Whiskey Bar, which
fi rst came to fame at their
Manzanita operation just
three blocks from the beach.
While some businesses
experience growing pains,
expansion does not seem to
have hurt the quality of ser-
vice nor the ample supply of
brown liquors on display at
the most recent MacGregor’s.
With an enviable top shelf
that must account for at least
400 years of accumulated
barrel age — including a rare
Pappy Van Winkle that goes
for a modest $139 pour —
a trip to MacGregor’s can
really squeeze the greenbacks
out of the billfold if you’re
not careful.
It may be better to stick to
the reasonably priced cock-
tail list or experiment with a
range of fl ights if it’s not an
uber-special occasion. (I’m
qualifying “special” here
because every time you step
into MacGregor’s, it feels
Ryan Hume
like a special occasion.)
There are plenty of inven- Bar manager Erik Thorsnes stand behind the counter at MacGregor’s Whiskey Bar in Cannon Beach
tive takes on classic cocktails with a Black Manhattan, center.
on MacGregor’s list, includ-
ing the Smoke & Spice Old Fashioned,
thanks to a splash of the Sicilian digestif proven that nuts and sweets were meant
which adds cardamom bitters and a chi-
Amaro Averna, which has caramel, choc- to be together, but there is plenty of
potle-infused simple syrup. But, after
olate and citrus tones.
pedestrian evidence to support this the-
consulting the staff, I gravitated toward
While not strictly on the menu, bar
ory. Lay all this on top of a pour of rye
the Black Manhattan.
manager Erik Thorsnes adds a dash of
and you have a nice warm beverage fi t
Perhaps because it’s October, but the
black walnut bitters atop the traditional
for autumn.
sinister name just sounded right, con-
drips of Angostura when he takes this as
Regardless if you are splurging on the
juring up images of early 80s Scorsese
a shift drink, and I’ll have to agree, hav-
top shelf, investigating a fl ight of Ore-
fi lms in a fi lthy, rotten Big Apple.
ing tried both, that this really opens up
gon-bred whiskeys or sipping on a Black
In truth, the Black Manhattan is closer the fl avor profi le.
Manhattan, MacGregor’s will pour you
to a comforting, dessert-type nightcap,
Of course, it hasn’t been scientifi cally something to remember.
14 // COASTWEEKEND.COM
Black Manhattan
2 ounces Rittenhouse rye or your favorite rye
whiskey
1 ounce Amaro Averna
3 dashes Angostura bitters
1 dash black walnut bitters (optional)
Brandied cherry, for garnish.
Ice
Put all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and
stir. Strain into a cocktail glass (MacGre-
gor’s prefers stemless cocktail glasses, but
whatever is on hand will work). Dollop
with a cherry.
—Recipes courtesy of Erik Thorsnes, bar
manager, MacGregor’s Whiskey Bar, Can-
non Beach, Oregon