Manhattan
Rye whiskey and sweet vermouth with a dash of bitters. Warm, spicy and quietly elegant.
Stirred · Coupe · Medium · about 3 minutes · about 30% ABV
Ingredients
- 60 ml Rye whiskey
- 30 ml Sweet vermouth
- 2 dashes Angostura bitters
- Cocktail cherry (garnish)
Method
- Chill the glass
- Pour 60 ml rye whiskey into the mixing glass
- Pour 30 ml sweet vermouth into the mixing glass
- Add 2 dashes of Angostura bitters
- Add ice
- Stir
- Strain
- Garnish
Tip
Bourbon works if you have no rye. The drink comes out a little softer and sweeter.
About the Manhattan
The Manhattan appeared in New York around 1880. A popular story links it to a party at the Manhattan Club thrown by Jennie Jerome, Winston Churchill's mother, but she was in England at the time, so the tale is almost certainly untrue. It was one of the first cocktails to use vermouth and it shaped the Martini and many drinks after it.
The vermouth cocktail family. Vermouth reached American bars in the 1860s and 1870s, and bartenders began stirring it with whiskey, gin and brandy. That gave us the Manhattan and the Martinez, the ancestor of the Martini. Drinks in this family are stirred rather than shaken, and they are all about the balance between the spirit and the aromatised wine.
Manhattan FAQ
What's in a Manhattan?
60 ml rye whiskey, 30 ml sweet vermouth, 2 dashes angostura bitters, garnished with cocktail cherry.
How strong is a Manhattan?
About 30% ABV once mixed with ice, which is 2.6 Australian standard drinks per serve. That is close to a straight spirit, so sip it slowly.
Should I shake or stir a Manhattan?
Stir it. It is made only of spirits and wines, so stirring keeps it clear and silky. Shaking would make it cloudy and frothy.
What glass do you serve a Manhattan in?
A coupe, about 180 ml. Chill the glass first and serve without ice. No coupe? Use a martini glass or small wine glass.
