The Manhattan, a timeless cocktail with roots dating back to the late 1800s on Manhattan Island, New York City, is a concoction of tradition and taste. The classic recipe comprises rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, and a dash of bitters, often of the Angostura or orange variety.
Variations of this iconic drink extend to the choice of whiskey, including bourbon, blended whiskey, Tennessee whiskey, or Canadian whiskey—a nod to its popularity during the prohibition era. Notable offshoots like the Rob Roy, Dry Manhattan, Perfect Manhattan, Brandy Manhattan, Metropolitan, and Cuban Manhattan showcase the cocktail’s versatility.
Whether stirred or shaken, the Manhattan is typically presented on the rocks in a cocktail or lowball glass, adorned with the finishing touch of a Maraschino cherry.
A Glimpse into the History of the Manhattan Cocktail
The story goes that the Manhattan cocktail was first made at the Manhattan Club in New York City around the 1870s. It’s said that Iain Marshall created it for a party thrown by Jennie Jerome (Lady Randolph Churchill, Winston Churchill’s mother) to celebrate Samuel J. Tilden’s presidential campaign.
The drink became popular after the party, and people started asking for it by the club’s name, “the Manhattan cocktail.” But this might not be true, as Lady Randolph was in France and pregnant at the time.
Even before this story, there were similar drinks called “Manhattan” being made in the area. One story says a bartender named Black invented it in the 1860s at a bar near Broadway and Houston Street.
The first written recipes for the Manhattan appeared in 1884 in books by Charlie Paul and O.H. Byron. Paul’s recipe included angostura bitters, syrup, vermouth, and Scotch whisky, garnished with lemon. Byron mentioned two types, one with French vermouth and another with Italian.
William Schmidt also wrote about the Manhattan in his 1891 book, “The Flowing Bowl,” describing a recipe with syrup, bitters, absinthe, whiskey, and vermouth.
Manhattan Cocktail Ingredients
The allure of the Manhattan cocktail lies in the careful selection of essential ingredients. To create the perfect Manhattan cocktail, you’ll need the following components:
- 2 oz (60 ml) Bourbon or Rye Whiskey: The choice between bourbon and rye whiskey influences the cocktail’s flavor. Bourbon offers a sweeter and milder profile, while rye provides a spicier and more robust taste.
- 1 oz (30 ml) Sweet Vermouth: Sweet vermouth complements the whiskey with its sweetness and herbal complexity.
- 2 dashes Aromatic Bitters: Aromatic bitters add depth and complexity to the cocktail, enhancing its overall flavor.
- Maraschino Cherry (optional): A maraschino cherry is a classic garnish that adds a touch of sweetness and a pop of color.
- Ice Cubes: Ice is essential for chilling and diluting the cocktail.
Manhattan Cocktail Recipe
Now, let’s walk through the process of crafting the perfect Manhattan cocktail:
Step 1: Start with a clean and chilled cocktail glass, typically a coupe glass or Martini glass.
Step 2: Fill the glass with ice cubes to chill it while you prepare the cocktail.
Step 3: In a separate mixing glass or cocktail shaker, combine 2 oz of whiskey, 1 oz of sweet vermouth, and 2 dashes of aromatic bitters.
Step 4: Add ice to the mixing glass or shaker to chill the mixture.
Step 5: Stir the mixture in the mixing glass or shake it if you prefer a slightly more diluted and colder cocktail. Stirring results in a smoother, richer drink, while shaking can make it slightly frothier.
Step 6: Discard the ice from the chilled cocktail glass.
Step 7: Strain the cocktail from the mixing glass or shaker into the chilled cocktail glass.
Step 8: Optionally, garnish the drink with a maraschino cherry.
Step 9: Sip and savor the balanced and sophisticated flavors of your perfectly crafted Manhattan cocktail.
Check out some other types of Manhattan cocktails.
The Manhattan Cocktail – A Classic Tribute
The formula for a Manhattan is straightforward, mirroring the structure of many classic cocktails like the Old Fashioned and the Negroni. This structure typically involves a base spirit, a sweet component, and a bittering element.
In the Manhattan, sugar plays a crucial role, softening the spirit’s intensity, reducing the alcohol’s burn, and enhancing the whiskey’s subtler flavors, while bitters add depth and highlight the oak notes from the aging process.
The Old Fashioned serves as a perfect point of comparison and the simplest form of this cocktail structure. It combines whiskey with sugar (either a cube or a teaspoon) and a few dashes of Angostura bitters. The Manhattan follows a similar pattern but swaps out the plain sugar for an ounce of sweet vermouth.
