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stirEasyCocktail

Manhattan

The quintessential American cocktail combining rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, and Angostura bitters. Rich, sophisticated, and iconic.

Ingredients

  • 2 ozRye whiskey
  • 1 ozSweet vermouth
  • 2 dashAngostura bitters

Method

  1. 1Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with ice
  2. 2Stir for 30 seconds until well chilled
  3. 3Strain into a chilled coupe glass
  4. 4Garnish with a cherry

Bar tools

  • Mixing glass
  • Barspoon
  • Hawthorne strainer
Glassware
Coupe glass
Method
stir
Makes
1 drink
Garnish
Cherry
whiskeyclassicamericanstirred

The Manhattan is one of the most iconic cocktails in American history, representing the perfect balance of spirit, vermouth, and bitters. It's a cornerstone of classic cocktail culture.

History

Created in the 1870s at the Manhattan Club in New York City, this cocktail helped establish the template for countless other drinks. It's a perfect example of the "spirit + vermouth + bitters" formula that defines classic cocktails.

Variations

  • Perfect Manhattan: Use equal parts sweet and dry vermouth
  • Dry Manhattan: Use dry vermouth instead of sweet
  • Rob Roy: Use Scotch whisky instead of rye

Source: Classic cocktail