Nothing like a classic cocktail. The Manhattan was created in the 1870’s and is named for the borough of New York City it originates from and is one of the most simple and loved whiskey cocktails, alongside an old fashioned.
The Simple Ingredients Of A Manhattan
A Manhattan is traditionally made with rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, and bitters. While rye whiskey is traditional, many recipes use other kinds of whiskey and it is up to you to choose (the beauty of making drinks at home!)
Sweet vermouth is a fortified wine and there are several brands. Ultimately they are all pretty similar, so don’t get overwhelmed on your visit to BevMo. Just a tip for anyone who keeps vermouth at home, it should be refrigerated after opening to preserve the taste and notes.
Aromatic bitters are the traditional bitters and they’re used in a Manhattan. Many brands and styles exist, but Angostura are the most popular and easy to find.
The last component of a Manhattan is the cherry. After making sure you have all of the other ingredients, don’t skimp on the cherry. It is equally as important as the other parts. Do yourself a favor and don’t buy the cheap maraschino cherries you’d put in a shirley temple. Get the good ones. The Luxardo cherries are a game changer and you will never go back to the bright red cherries you see in dive bars.
Up Or On The Rocks
Serving a Manhattan “up” in a martini or coupe glass is traditional, but it is also often served on the rocks. This is a preference and as long as your ingredients and specs are good, it’s up to you to decide!
If you choose to serve it over ice, the preparation is the same. You still stir the cocktail and then strain over fresh ice in a rocks glass.
Time to get to it!
A Classic Manhattan
Equipment
- 1 Stirring Jar or Tin
- 1 Bar Spoon
- 1 Cocktail Strainer
Ingredients
- 2 oz. Rye Whiskey *or whatever you prefer
- 1 oz. Sweet Vermouth
- 2 dashes Aromatic Bitters
- 1 luxardo cherry
Instructions
- Fill stirring jar (or cocktail tin) with ice
- Add 2 dashes of aromatic bitters
- Add 2 oz. whiskey
- Add 1 oz. sweet vermouth
- Stir 15-20 second
- Pour into coupe glass or over fresh ice in rocks glass
- Garnish with luxardo cherry
