My Bartender
From its inception in the late 1800s, the Manhattan cocktail has exploded in popularity almost overnight, with more than one establishment taking credit for creating this timeless drink recipe.
Despite trends in mixology that have come and gone, this classic has remained the drink of choice for both the whiskey aficionado as well as those new to sipping on this gentle spirit.
While there have been some subtle adaptations to the original version, this cocktail has managed to withstand the test of time.
How to Make a Manhattan Cocktail
Check out our quick and easy recipe right down below!
Manhattan
The Manhattan is an iconic and classy drink, but you don't have to go all the way to NYC to enjoy one of these classic cocktails. Just follow this recipe!
Ingredients
- 2 oz. bourbon or rye
- 1 oz. sweet vermouth
- 1 dash orange bitters
- 2 dashes Angostura bitters
- Ice
- Luxardo cherry
Instructions
- Add bourbon or rye, sweet vermouth, and bitters into a mixing glass with ice
- Use bar spoon to stir until well chilled
- Strain into coupe or martini glass
- Garnish with luxardo cherry
History of the Manhattan Drink
The Manhattan Club, one of the establishments that would later boast as having come up with the recipe, happened to have quite a store of rye on hand; so, for practical purposes, this was used from the start. Rye, with its distinctly spicy notes and dry finish, left a favorable impression with imbibers.
As bourbon became more widely distributed, people grew to have an appreciation for its smoother, sweeter flavor. Either rye or bourbon can be used, based on your personal preference. Purists will tell you that rye is the way to go, but if you are partial to a drink on the sweeter side, stick with bourbon.
Bitters
It didn’t take long for bartenders to realize the benefits of bitters were more than just medicinal. Just a few drops of these botanical elixirs brought out the best qualities of what they were mixing and made their drinks stand out in the crowd.
Angostura is still one of the most popular brands today and was used in the original concoction, however, there are many ways to deviate from the classic version if you feel like adding a different element to your “usual”.
Chocolate bitters will play on the bourbon and the cherry and can turn your drink into a dessert replacement if you are counting calories. Swapping Angostura for orange bitters will align the sweetness of the vermouth with the spiciness of the rye making each sip a delight.
Shaken or Stirred
A request to shake your Manhattan may make your bartender cringe, and for good reason. Shaking a drink with whiskey will cause it to foam and can also dilute the flavors.
You will keep the integrity of the drink by chilling it with a careful stir, and you will be rewarded with a first sip that has all the right viscosity without being watered down.
Variations
There have been some tweaks on this drink over the years which are compliments to the original. For instance, a die-hard scotch drinker may be unwilling to part with whiskey’s smokier cousin when it comes to enjoying an evening drink. The Rob Roy substitutes scotch for rye or bourbon. The following interpretations also take the original recipe to heart:
- Perfect is a request for equal parts sweet and dry vermouth.
- Dry substitutes French vermouth for the traditionally used Italian vermouth.
- Black replaces Amaro for vermouth.
- Reverse swaps the measurements of whiskey and Vermouth making it lower in alcohol.
Cheers!
This classic drink is easy and quick to mix up, so don’t be afraid to shake one up for yourself tonight. It also never fails to impress friends! Enjoy!
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