“The cocktail world (is) facing a crisis of immense proportions, with tales of bars hoarding bitters, of distributors rationing three bottles per bar, of an emerging black market in Angostura.
Apparently, the shortage stems from a dispute between the House of Angostura in Trinidad and the company that supplies its bottles. Production was halted in November. A limited amount has resumed, but operation at full capacity isn’t expected until next month. In an average year, sales of Angostura in the United States total about 750,000 four-ounce bottles, so the shortage has a wide-ranging effect.”
The Washington Post continues with a solution to lack of bitters for Manhattans: “You also can switch out the whiskey entirely and turn to a Rum Manhattan, which may be the Cocktail of the Moment. Now, I’m not totally sure I buy into all the overheated chatter that some of my fellow drinks journalists and bloggers are heaping on rum. If you’ve missed it: Everybody in the know is drinking rum.”
