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Every sip of a Manhattan co*cktail brings out the taste and flavor of the drink. It is made with whiskey, sweet vermouth, and a dash of bitters. The balance and richness of the drink make it stand out. As a bartender who has made and served a lot of drinks, Manhattan is one of my favorites because of its long past and ability to bring people together. Manhattan is always a good choice, whether you’re enjoying something special or just taking it easy after a long day.
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Tasting Notes
There are a lot of different tastes in the Manhattan drink. With hints of oak and toffee, the whiskey has a strong and warm base. With its herbs and sweet flavors, sweet vermouth makes the drink more interesting. Adding a layer of flavor that is a little spicy and aromatic, the bitters tie everything together. The cherry on top adds a bit of color and sweetness, making the Manhattan not only taste good but also look good.
Glassware and Equipment
You’ll need a mixing glass, a bar spoon, and a strainer to make a Manhattan. The mixing glass is for mixing the ingredients, the bar spoon is for stirring, and the sieve is for straining. A chilled martini glass is the usual way to serve a Manhattan, but you can also get it in a rocks glass if you like yours on the rocks. With these tools and glasses, you can make sure that your Manhattan is made perfectly and served in style.
See also Scotch and Soda
Ingredients
2 oz. Whiskey (preferably rye for its spicy character)
1 oz. Sweet vermouth
2 dashes Angostura bitters
Maraschino cherry (for garnish)
Instructions
Fill your mixing glass with ice.
Pour the whiskey, sweet vermouth, and bitters over the ice.
Stir the mixture gently for about 30 seconds to chill and dilute the drink slightly.
Strain the co*cktail into your chilled martini glass or over fresh ice in a rocks glass.
If you want a smoother Manhattan, stir the drink instead of shaking it. This keeps the drink smooth and clear.
Try mixing different kinds of whiskey and vermouth until you get the right mix.
To make the drink last longer, chill the glass before you serve it.
If you like your Manhattans thinner, you can change the amount of vermouth to suit your tastes.
When to Serve
A Manhattan can be used in many different ways, so it’s great for almost any event. It looks classy enough for a dinner party, a drink after work, or a fun get-together. It’s a hit at co*cktail hours and special events because of its rich flavors and classy appearance.
Which Liquor Brands to Choose
For the whiskey,use a high-quality rye whiskey with spicy and fruity notes. For sweet vermouth, Carpano Antica Formula adds a wonderful complexity and richness.These brands elevate the co*cktail, making your Manhattan stand out.
Similar Drinks
Old Fashioned – A classic whiskey co*cktail with sugar, bitters, and a twist of citrus.
Negroni – A bold mix of gin, sweet vermouth, and Campari.
Rob Roy – Similar to a Manhattan but made with Scotch whisky.
Boulevardier – A whiskey-based co*cktail with sweet vermouth and Campari.
Whiskey Sour – A refreshing blend of whiskey, lemon juice, and sugar.
See also Top 19 Bourbon Brands Under $50
History
Manhattan has a long and interesting past. It is thought to have been created in New York City in the late 1800s. There is some disagreement about where this drink came from, but it quickly became a mainstay in the American co*cktail scene, capturing the sophistication and energy of the city that gives it its name.
Manhattan
Paul Kushner
Make the famous Manhattan co*cktail, which is a classy mix of bitters, whiskey, and vermouth. Perfect for any event.
Please drink responsibly, be fully accountable with your alcohol consumption, and show others respect.
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Written by Paul Kushner
Founder and CEO of MyBartender. Graduated from Penn State University. He always had a deep interest in the restaurant and bar industry. His restaurant experience began in 1997 at the age of 14 as a bus boy. By the time he turned 17 he was serving tables, and by 19 he was bartending/bar managing 6-7 nights a week.
In 2012, after a decade and a half of learning all facets of the industry, Paul opened his first restaurant/bar. In 2015, a second location followed, the latter being featured on The Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.
The perfect Manhattan is indeed a great co*cktail, though the name doesn't refer to its perfection. Instead, it adds dry vermouth to the classic Manhattan's trio of whiskey, sweet vermouth, and bitters. It makes a delightful dinner drink, whether you enjoy it before, during, or after the meal.
The Dry Manhattan used dry vermouth instead of sweet. The Medium Manhattan was the original Perfect Manhattan, made with four parts whiskey and one part each dry and sweet vermouth.
The Manhattan is easily the most famous of the co*cktails named after New York's five boroughs and, many would argue, the best by some margin. A carefully balanced mix of whiskey, sweet vermouth, and Angostura bitters, with a co*cktail cherry garnish, it is a timeless masterpiece.
When in doubt, know that a dash of bitters measures to be approximately 1/8 of a teaspoon and that you should start small. You can always add more as needed. A couple dashes of bitters go a long way.
A dash of bitters is usually 6-8 drops or 1/8th of a teaspoon. However, multiple factors affect how much liquid comes out with each dash, such as the size of the hole in the bottle, the angle of the bottle, the force of the shake, and how much liquid is in the bottle.
The Perfect Manhattan is so called because it splits the vermouth portion of the Manhattan between sweet and dry. It's slightly drier than the classic Manhattan. If you use rye whiskey instead of bourbon—as I like it—it's even drier still.
Both co*cktails call for whisky and Angostura bitters, but the defining factor lies in their sweetening agents. The Old Fashioned opts for straightforward sugar or syrup, helping to soften the whisky.In contrast the Manhattan favours a sweet vermouth – adding fruity and caramel flavours into the mix.
Steps. Add the rye whiskey, dry vermouth, sweet vermouth and bitters into a mixing glass with ice and stir until well-chilled. Strain into a chilled Nick & Nora glass or co*cktail glass. Garnish with a brandied cherry or a lemon twist.
Alberta Premium, Crown Royal, and Pendleton are all excellent choices, too. If rye is too spicy for your taste, consider a high-rye bourbon, which tempers the sweetness of the corn-based spirit.
How Long Do Bitters Last? While we hate to see a bottle of bitters collecting dust on your home bar they do last indefinitely. They are bottled at about 70 proof or 35% alcohol, so they are perfectly preserved. However, it is possible that the flavor will change over time.
Another bitters substitute? Any type of Amaro, a family of Italian herbal liqueurs that taste bitter (amaro means bitter in Italian). It encompasses a wide range of spirits, including Campari and the super-bitter Fernet-Branca. Fernet is so strong, you only need to use a few drops.
Aromatic bitters have long been the preferred accent for the Manhattan and it should be considered a required ingredient. Since we use just a few dashes at a time, it can be easy to forget their importance. However, they are the finishing touch that brings co*cktails like the Manhattan into perfect balance.
Many classic co*cktails, like the Old Fashioned and Manhattan, call for a dash or two of Angostura to add bitterness and spice. A dash is anywhere between ⅛ and ¼ of a teaspoon. Be careful not to add too much as the bitters are strong in flavor and could overwhelm your co*cktail.
An Old Fashioned calls for two to three dashes of bitters—no more, no less—that are added to the glass once the sugar or simple syrup is in. While the amount seems small, having too many or too few dashes can dramatically change the taste makeup of the drink.
Measured out in drops, using a precise, milliliter-dropper like the ones used to dispense medicine, a dash is about 10 single drops. Measured out in teaspoons, a dash would be 1/5 teaspoon, or as I discovered in my kitchen, between 1/8th teaspoon and 1/4 teaspoon.
One dash of bitters is somewhere between ⅛ teaspoon and ¼ teaspoon. Most drinks use 1 to 2 dashes. To add bitters to a drink, tip the bottle right into the drink and give it a good solid shake.
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Paul Kushner
