Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/6221
january–february 2010 / the tasting panel / 81 A t an age when others were drinking cheap beer and shots, Ryan Maybee was developing an insatiable curiosity about the finer points of cocktails. He continued to ply his trade and study for nearly a decade, when the dream of his own cocktail bar came true with the April 2009 opening of Manifesto. Very much in keeping with the speakeasy tradition, the bar is located beneath 1924 Main, a popular mid-town eatery. Manifesto is subterranean, dark and a little mysterious, and requires thirsty patrons to buzz—or text—at the back door to gain entry. When the banquettes, tables and barstools are filled, no one is allowed in until someone leaves, ensuring a leisurely experience. When it comes to the quality of the drinks, May- bee departs from the speak- easy theme. No bathtub gin here; only the finest ingre- dients are artfully blended, chilled (with ice formed specifically to enhance the overall affect) and garnished thoughtfully as an integral part of the whole. With all of the top-shelf vodkas on the market, we ask Ryan why he chose Tito's Handmade. Maybee explains that the brand's unique small-batch distillation process, using an old-fashioned pot still and corn as a base, results in a more distinctive product capable of contributing structure to a drink. One of the most popular vodka-centric drinks that has earned a permanent place on the oft-changing menu takes another KC favorite, Shatto's Root Beer–flavored milk, and mixes it vigorously with Tito's, resulting in a frothy mixture poured over and iPod- sized slab of ice into a Collins glass. The drink, playfully named Shatto [Chateau] Blanc, is an example of Manifesto's serious-yet- fanciful approach to cocktail culture. Tito's also stokes Maybee's passion for infusing vodka with any of a number of herbs or seasonal fruits and vegetables. He and his staff spare no expense or effort in combining an imaginative vari- ety of flavors with the clean taste of Tito's to broaden the spectrum of cocktail possibilities. —Judy Jones artiSanal spiriTs Tito's handmade vodka at manifesto, Kansas city manifesto's shatto blanc 1½ oz. Shatto Root Beer Milk* 1 oz. Tito's Handmade Vodka ½ oz. Yellow Chartreuse ½ oz. simple syrup 2 dashes Angostura bitters Combine in mixing glass and shake vigorously for 20 seconds. Strain over ice into a Collins glass. Garnish with a mint sprig dusted with Angostura and powdered sugar. *www.shattomilk.com Manifesto owner Ryan Maybee in his speakeasy-style bar.