🌆 Manhattan

Rye or bourbon, sweet vermouth, and Angostura bitters — one of the five greatest cocktails ever created.

4 min
Serves 1
Stirred
Coupe
Ingredients
  • 2 oz Rye whiskey (preferred) or Bourbon
  • 1 oz Sweet vermouth (Carpano Antica Formula or Dolin Rouge)
  • 2 dashes Angostura bitters
  • Maraschino cherry to garnish (Luxardo brand — not the neon red ones)
Method
  1. 1
    Chill your glassPlace a coupe or Nick & Nora glass in the freezer for at least 5 minutes.
  2. 2
    Combine in mixing glassAdd rye, sweet vermouth, and Angostura bitters to a mixing glass.
  3. 3
    Add ice and stirFill with ice and stir steadily for 30–40 seconds — about 50 rotations. You want significant dilution and chill. The Manhattan is one of the most dilution-sensitive cocktails; too little stirring produces a harsh, overpowering drink.
  4. 4
    StrainStrain into the chilled coupe or Nick & Nora.
  5. 5
    Express and garnishIf desired, express an orange peel over the surface before straining. Add a Luxardo cherry on a pick.

The Importance of Stirring

The Manhattan's origin is disputed — the most popular story attributes it to a bartender at the Manhattan Club in New York City in the 1870s, possibly for a banquet hosted by Jennie Jerome (Winston Churchill's mother). The drink appeared in Harry Johnson's 1882 'New and Improved Bartender's Manual' in a recognisable form.

Never shake a Manhattan. This is one of the non-negotiable rules of cocktail making. Shaking aerates the drink, creating a cloudy, diluted result. A stirred Manhattan is crystal clear, silky, and integrated. The vermouth is not optional decoration — use 1 oz of good vermouth. Carpano Antica Formula is the industry standard for a reason: its vanilla-walnut complexity makes a better Manhattan than any other sweet vermouth.

Variations

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Rob Roy

Replace rye or bourbon with blended Scotch. Named after the Scottish folk hero. The peat and earth of Scotch adds a completely different dimension.

🍸 Perfect Manhattan

Use ½ oz sweet vermouth and ½ oz dry vermouth. Drier, more complex, and slightly less approachable. Sometimes called the 'Uptown Manhattan'.

🍒 Black Manhattan

Replace Angostura bitters with Averna Amaro. Darker, more herbal, and with a bittersweet cola note.

Related
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