Cocktail recipe
Manhattan
Rye whiskey, sweet vermouth and bitters in one of the great stirred cocktails.
Ingredients
- 60 ml (2 oz) rye whiskey
- 30 ml (1 oz) sweet red vermouth
- 2 dashes aromatic bitters
- Garnish: 1 cocktail cherry
Preparation
Stir rye, vermouth and bitters patiently with ice until chilled and integrated, not watery. Strain into a cold coupe and drop in one good cocktail cherry.
Glassware
Chilled coupe
History
The Manhattan emerged in New York in the late 19th century; printed recipes appear in the 1880s. The familiar story linking its invention to a Manhattan Club banquet hosted by Jennie Jerome is historically problematic and should not be stated as fact. Early versions varied in ratio and sometimes used additional bitters or modifiers; rye and sweet vermouth became the enduring standard.
Mixology View
We choose a clear 2:1 rye-to-vermouth build: enough vermouth to be a true partnership, enough rye to retain its character. The Manhattan Club legend remains legend.