Manhattan
Ingredients
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- 2 ounces rye whiskey
- 1 ounce sweet vermouth
- 2 dashes Angostura bitters
- 2 cups ice – for stirring; discard
- maraschino cherry – for garnish
Instructions
1. Chill a coupe or Nick & Nora glass in the freezer until cold, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, and Angostura bitters to a mixing glass.
3. Fill the mixing glass with ice and stir until very cold and well diluted, 20–30 seconds (the outside of the glass should feel frosty).
4. Strain into the chilled glass; the cocktail should look clear and free of ice shards.
5. Garnish with a maraschino cherry and serve immediately.
The Manhattan is a whiskey-forward stirred cocktail that balances the spice of rye with the herbal sweetness of Italian (sweet) vermouth and the aromatic bite of bitters. Served up and crystal clear, it’s silky and potent, with a long, warming finish. A proper Manhattan is all about balance: the whiskey leads, the vermouth rounds the edges, and the bitters knit everything together.
Born in New York City in the late 19th century, the Manhattan is among the foundational recipes of American cocktail canon. Early records point to the Manhattan Club in the 1870s, though popular origin stories are likely apocryphal. Classic versions called for rye whiskey and Italian vermouth, helping cement the use of sweet vermouth in American bars and spawning numerous branches and riffs over the decades.