Manhattan Drink

The classic Manhattan cocktail was the most famous drink recipe shortly after its birth at the Manhattan Club in New York City in the 1880s. Over the years, it has fallen in and out of popularity but found its place as a mainstay in most bars during the craft cocktail renaissance. In this post I will teach you to make a perfect Manhattan cocktail.

Classic Cocktails: Old Fashioned, Classic Negroni, Sidecar Cocktail, Classic Mojito Recipe, Rusty Nail, Classic Gimlet Cocktail, Boulevardier, Vieux Carré.

What is a Manhattan Cocktail?

Created in this 1880s, the classic Manhattan cocktail mixes American whiskey, Italian vermouth, with a few dashes of aromatic bitters. It is a timeless and tasty drink—the definition of what a good cocktail should be.

This spirit forward drink is best made with rye rather than bourbon because of its spicy, less sweet profile. It is sweet and strong and has earned it’s spot as one of the most popular classic cocktails.

Manhattan Cocktail Ingredients

Rye Whiskey We prefer rye whiskey for a more balanced drink. Choose bourbon for a sweeter outcome.
Sweet Vermouth The classic recipe uses Italian vermouth.
Angostura Bitters One of the most classic cocktail bitters. These bitters will add complexity and enliven your drink’s flavor even more.
Cherry Luxardo maraschino cherry, for garnish

The best cocktail glass to serve this drink in is a coupe glass.

How to make a Manhattan Drink

Building this cocktail is super easy. Add all your ingredients to a mixing glass, add ice and stir. To stir like a pro, let your fingers do the work—not your wrist!

Your barspoon should be between your index and middle finger. I’m a weirdo and I stir using my pinky and ring finger.

Once you get comfortable with the technique, you can do it whatever way is most comfortable for you. I highly encourage personal style when developing your bar techniques.

Twirl it around the inside of your mixing glass, using your index finger to pull the spoon toward you and your middle finger to push it away (or whatever fingers you’re using).

Stir for about 30-45 seconds then place your strainer over the mixing glass and strain into your serving glass. Garnish with a maraschino cherry, our favorite are luxardo cherries. These are my absolute favorite cherries to use in cocktails.

Tips for making

• For a sweeter drink, replace rye whiskey with bourbon.
• Swap out sweet vermouth for Italian amaro and you have a “Black Manhattan”.
• Swap our rye for Scotch and you will have a “Rob Roy” cocktail.
• We recommend sipping your Manhattan slowly and savoring it.

History of a Manhattan

This drink was first created in the 1880s at New York City’s Manhattan Club. Many other orgin stories exist. For example some say the drink was first mixed for Lady Randolph Churchill, the mother of Winston Churchill (though records later proved that she was not in the region during this time period). In any case- the Manhattan Club origin story seems a credible way for the drink to have gotten it’s name.

It was recorded in 1915 by Henry Watterson in his book “History of the Manhattan Club: A Narrative of the Activities of Half a Century“. The Manhattan is one of the oldest cocktails along with the Old Fashioned.

The classic Manhattan cocktail is strong, sweet, aromatic, and slightly spicy from the rye whiskey. Some people prefer to make their Manhattans with bourbon instead, which is perfectly acceptable.

Historically it is made with rye whiskey and I tend to like this variation more because it dries it out a little and has a spicier, edgier profile.

Using bourbon will make a sweeter and mellower drink, but still beautiful and totally delicious nonetheless! So please mix whatever your heart pleases!

Will you be trying a classic Manhattan cocktail this season? Let us know in the comments below.

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Ingredients

1x2x3x

• ▢ 2 ounces rye whiskey
• ▢ 1 ounce sweet vermouth
• ▢ 2 dashes Angostura bitters
• ▢ Luxardo maraschino cherry (for garnish)

Instructions

• Add all your ingredients to a mixing glass, add ice and stir. 
• Stir for about 30-45 seconds then place your strainer over the mixing glass and strain into your serving glass. Garnish with a maraschino cherry. 

Course Drinks

Cuisine American

Keywords cocktails, manhattan