Brisk weather is upon us, but you don’t need a coat if you have a good drink to warm your cockles. Indeed, if it is warmth you seek, look no further than the classic Manhattan. This dark, spooky, yet vibrant restorative makes the perfect accompaniment to the Halloween season. Here’s how to make it. 

First, pour two ounces of good American whiskey–such as Maker’s Mark–into your mixing glass. Follow this with an ounce of sweet vermouth. Then add two dashes of Angostura bitters. Fill your mixing glass with ice and stir for 10 seconds. Strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with a maraschino cherry.

This recipe, happily tested by yours truly, follows a 2-1-2 structure, which just so happens to be Manhattan’s area code. Make this, and I guarantee it’ll turn heads. At the very least, it will make yours spin.