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Made with whiskey, sweet vermouth, and bitters, a Manhattan is a classic cocktail with a long history and an almost unchanging recipe. And it’s a strong drink, too!
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
Ingredient notes
- Whiskey: Rye whiskey, the traditional choice for a Manhattan, has a spicy, aggressive flavor and its mash must be made from at least 51% rye. Bourbon is sweeter in flavor and its mash must be made from at least 51% corn. It also must be made in the United States to be called “bourbon.”
- Sweet vermouth: A fortified wine (made from grapes) that tastes sweet and bitter with notes of botanicals (herbs, roots, and barks) and caramel.
- Cherry: I prefer Luxardo brand cherries or brandied cherries in a Manhattan.
Step-by-step instructions
- In a mixing glass, add whiskey, sweet vermouth, and bitters. Fill glass ¾ full with ice. Using a bar spoon, stir until well chilled, about 30-45 seconds.
- Strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with a maraschino cherry.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This recipe makes 1 cocktail.
- Glassware: The Manhattan is traditionally served in a cocktail glass (similar to a martini glass) or a coupe glass.
- Big batch: To make a batch of 8 cocktails, combine 16 ounces (2 cups) whiskey, 8 ounces (1 cup) sweet vermouth, and 20 dashes bitters in a pitcher. Have ice, glassware, and garnishes on hand so guests can help themselves.
- Garnish: Instead of the maraschino cherry, an orange peel is another classic garnish. Some creative mixologists will substitute a lemon peel.
- Cherry juice: For extra sweetness, add a splash of maraschino cherry juice.
- Shaken, not stirred: For a frothy surface, shake the cocktail with ice in a shaker before straining into a chilled glass.
- Brooklyn cocktail: Substitute ½ ounce (1 tbsp.) EACH dry vermouth and maraschino liqueur for the sweet vermouth. Substitute Picon bitters for the angostura bitters.
- Brandy Manhattan: Substitute brandy for the whiskey (especially popular in Wisconsin and Minnesota).
- Cuban Manhattan: Substitute dark rum for the whiskey.
- Dry Manhattan: Substitute dry vermouth for the sweet vermouth and substitute a lemon twist for the maraschino cherry.
- Perfect Manhattan: Equal parts sweet and dry vermouth.
- Rob Roy: Substitute Scotch whisky for the rye whiskey.
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Manhattan
Made with whiskey, sweet vermouth, and bitters, a Manhattan is a classic cocktail with a long history and an almost unchanging recipe. And it's a strong drink, too!
Ingredients
- 2 ounces rye whiskey or bourbon whiskey (¼ cup, see note 1)
- 1 ounce sweet vermouth (2 tablespoons, see note 2)
- 2 to 3 dashes old-fashioned bitters or Angostura bitters (⅛ teaspoon)
- 1 Maraschino cherry or orange peel, for garnish (see note 3)
Instructions
- In a mixing glass, add whiskey, sweet vermouth, and bitters. Fill glass ¾ full with ice. Using a bar spoon, stir until well chilled, about 30-45 seconds.
- Strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with a maraschino cherry or an orange peel.
Notes
- Whiskey: Rye whiskey, the traditional choice for a Manhattan, has a spicy, aggressive flavor and its mash must be made from at least 51% rye. Bourbon is sweeter in flavor and its mash must be made from at least 51% corn. It also must be made in the United States to be called “bourbon.”
- Sweet vermouth: A fortified wine (made from grapes) that tastes sweet and bitter with notes of botanicals (herbs, roots, and barks) and caramel.
- Cherry: I prefer Luxardo brand cherries or brandied cherries in a Manhattan.
- Yield: This recipe makes 1 cocktail.
- Glassware: The Manhattan is traditionally served in a cocktail glass (similar to a martini glass) or a coupe glass.
- Big batch: To make a batch of 8 cocktails, combine 16 ounces (2 cups) whiskey, 8 ounces (1 cup) sweet vermouth, and 20 dashes bitters in a pitcher. Have ice, glassware, and garnishes on hand so guests can help themselves.
- Garnish: Instead of the maraschino cherry, an orange peel is another classic garnish. Some creative mixologists will substitute a lemon peel.
- Cherry juice: For extra sweetness, add a splash of maraschino cherry juice.
- Shaken, not stirred: For a frothy surface, shake the cocktail with ice in a shaker before straining into a chilled glass.
- Brooklyn cocktail: Substitute ½ ounce (1 tbsp.) EACH dry vermouth and maraschino liqueur for the sweet vermouth. Substitute Picon bitters for the angostura bitters.
- Brandy Manhattan: Substitute brandy for the whiskey (especially popular in Wisconsin and Minnesota).
- Cuban Manhattan: Substitute dark rum for the whiskey.
- Dry Manhattan: Substitute dry vermouth for the sweet vermouth and substitute a lemon twist for the maraschino cherry.
- Perfect Manhattan: Equal parts sweet and dry vermouth.
- Rob Roy: Substitute Scotch whisky for the rye whiskey.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cocktailCalories: 198kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 5mgPotassium: 85mgFiber: 1gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 2IUCalcium: 9mgIron: 1mg
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Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.