Ah, the Manhattan. A heavyweight cocktail that has stood the test of time. Named after the New York City borough, the Manhattan cocktail is a spirit-forward recipe calling for Whiskey, vermouth and bitters.
One of the earliest records of the drink traces it back to 1884 in a cocktail book written by O.H. Byron’s titled ‘The Modern Bartender’s Guide’. Yet some variations of been documented as far back as 1860. Alongside the Martini cocktail, it has paved the way for numerous other classic and contemporary cocktail recipes.
One particular recipe at the time described it as “three or four drops of angostura bitters, ditto of plain syrup; add half a liqueur glass of vermouth, a half wineglassful of Scotch whiskey”.
Some popular history would suggest it was created for Lady Randolph Churchill, Mother of Winston, at the Manhattan Club in New York however this story has been debunked due to the fact Lady Randolph was in France and pregnant at the time.
Similar to the Manhattan Cocktail is the Old Fashioned cocktail recipe and both have been the blueprint for countless new drinks and creations.
For the ideal Manhattan cocktail. traditionally Rye is the whiskey of choice. Canadian whisky, bourbon and Tennessee whiskey are also commonly used too.
Your vermouth choice can drastically change the DNA of the drink, however. Whilst a perfect Manhattan should have equal parts sweet and dry vermouth, most bartenders, including myself, will only make a sweet version (sweet vermouth only).
Personally, Antica Formula is my go-to choice with Rittenhouse Rye and Boker bitters. I feel the bitters add wonderful coffee notes to the drink.
For a Manhattan cocktail you will need the following ingredients:
Manhattan Cocktail Variations
Some of the most popular variations are the black Manhattan cocktail recipe which swaps the vermouth for the amaro Averna and adds a dash of orange bitters. We also like the brandy version for something different.
Actually, one of our favourite options which you should try is the batch the cocktail up and barrel-age it! We use a small personal barrel and age the cocktail for around a month. We feel this is enough time to add some woody notes to drink without too much oxidisation.
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