Great Baltimore cocktails, T's Woodyhatten at Langermann's on Light

With two locations in the Baltimore area on either side of the harbor, Langermann's is known for its upscale casual Southern cuisine and brunch options. So it may come as a surprise that their craft cocktail menu boasts a healthy selection of sophisticated boozy options, one of which stood out head and shoulders over the others in the category of robusto: T's Woodyhatten.

T's Woodyhatten's name may stem from the bartender named [T]ravis that assembled it, or the [T]ottenham Hotspurs, which he is a fan of (that's a soccer team, folks). Owner Mark Lasker explains that Canton Langermann's bartender Travis "was in a Manhattan-making contest in New York — there were certain parameters he didn't stick to."

And boy, howdy, is it a good thing that he didn't. Think of it as a Manhattan but with vermouth replaced by merlot, and bitters with a house-made spiced syrup replete with vanilla, lemon zest, pink peppercorn, cloves and star anise. With a healthy pour of Woodford Reserve, the resulting cocktail rates high on the aromatics scale, with flavors gently coming together to form a sweet, very strong libation that demands to be sipped slowly.

Maraschinos are optional; the flavor from the super-sweet cherries can mess with the rest of the creation. The drink is great enough on its own.

If you can't wait to dig into a heap of Langermann's short ribs, consider washing it down with T's Woodyhatten. No bib required and no saucy mess.

How to make the T's Woodyhatten

2 oz. Woodford Reserve

1/3 oz. spiced simple syrup (includes vanilla, pink peppercorn, lemon zest, star anise, cloves)

2/3 oz. merlot (any brand)

Stir ingredients into chilled glass. Add maraschino cherries if desired.

Where to get the T's Woodyhatten

Langermann's on Light

1542 Light St., Riverside

410-528-1200

langermanns.com

$10