- 1
Ingredients
- 4 ounces rye whiskey
- 2 ounces sweet vermouth
- 2 dashes of bitter
- 2 candied cherries or maraschino cherries, skewered on toothpicks
Preparation
Step 1
Fill a cocktail shaker about three-quarters full of ice and add the rye and vermouth. Cover the shaker and give them a good shake, for about 15 seconds, until the ingredients are well-blended and cold.
Or, if you prefer to stir your Manhattans, mix the ingredients in a small pitcher or large measuring cup with ice, and stir for about a minute, to chill the mixture.
Put the cherries into two chilled cocktail glasses and divide the Manhattan mixture between them.
Whiskey versus Whisky
Guide to Rye Whiskey
Maker’s Mark Manhattans
How to Make the Perfect Manhattan
cocktail shaker
La Maison du Whisky
whiskey
whisky
I first discovered Manhattans in, of all places, Philly, and recently rekindled my love of them at a recent trip to Harry’s New York Bar in Paris. Now I make them regularly at home. Finding rye whiskey is a bit difficult in Turkey, where I live, but I make do with regular old whiskey or bourbon. In winter, nothing beats a Manhattan. Or possibly an old fashioned, one of my other favorite whiskey drinks.
Some Canadian whiskies are heavy in rye, although they’re not called rye because they’re not made with the required percentages. I picked up a bottle of Canadian whiskey at duty-free, which was a bargain. Stock up on your next trip! : )
Ah, I didn’t know that! To be honest, I tend to buy 90% of my alcohol at duty-free. It’s simply too expensive in Turkey and they don’t sell the good stuff here anyway. Good to know on the Canadian whiskey though. Thanks for the tip!
It’s funny you brought up that Canadian whiskey’s can be heavy in rye without being called rye, because the opposite is also very true. For some reason our labelling laws allow producers to use the term “rye whiskey” even when it contains no rye at all!
The alberta springs rye whiskey is a good deal here in Canada. The percentages of rye vary by batch, but it’s quite nice and a good deal for the price. Although I’m not sure how often you can find it in the duty free.
We often use a mix of about half rye whiskey, half bourbon when making our manhattan’s, which I really like. I’m not entirely sure why we started doing it that way, but its probably a hold over from the days of trying to stretch the rare bottle expensive booze that we brought into the house
Hilarious that you can get Pikesville Rye in Paris but I can’t find it in New Jersey. Luckily I am in MD often and grab the 1.75 liter size. Under $20, and it makes a really nice Manhattan, which is the King of Cocktails, IMO.
that wrote that a while back, “rye” whisky was considered a poor cousin of the whisky world, so they stopped using the name. I bought a bottle of Crown Royal at duty-free since they were only $18 (!) each, and plan to open it and try it as well. Next time I’m going to check the limit as to how many bottles I can bring in – and stock up!
My grandmother who I loved very much drank Manhattans and so I learned to mix them for her when I was 10. I have not thought about those in a long time, but now that I am of drinking age, I will give one a try. Thanks for the memory:)
I prefer a “perfect” Manhattan that consists of 1/2 ounce each of dry and sweet vermouth, 2 1/2 to 3 ounces of rye whiskey…Jim Beam, Four Roses, Canadian Club, Old Overholt…stirred over ice and garnished with either lemon zest or orange peel,
funny post – not being a hard drinks person myself, I always wondered how that wonderful whisky-shop in Lutry, Switzerland – just a few doors down from my own at the time, could stay in business – and it did well, I realised that!
ahhhh a man after my heart… I love love love the Manhattan and try to make it every Friday evening after the kids have been put to bed. It’s such a classic! such a good post too; i love food and drink adventures. As a Canadian I have to say good for you for searching out the Rye whiskey, but I’ve been known to use bourbon in a pinch and have still been deeply satisfied.
This makes me very happy as I’ve been on a a Manhattan kick lately, but I find there’s some much variation among them, even in the fanciest cocktail bars. I’d love to figure out how to make one perfectly at home, and this is just the inspiration I need to get started. (Gorgeous photos!)
I love a good Manhattan. It’s my Christmas drink. My sister, being the pro-Manhattan maker in my family, has always strongly advised to use Canadian whiskey. I love your blog!
I love your blog and your basic Manhattan! Also, don’t know if you’ve tried the so-called French Manhattan, a recipe I found on the Woodford Reserve Bourbon site. They use Chambord instead of vermouth and it’s also wonderful. If you can ever find High West Rendezvous Rye or their American Prairie Bourbon, get it. Made in the mountains, in Park City Utah, of all places, makes a dreamy Manhattan, or sipper.
Ah, I love your blog! But, I should read it in the afternoon so I don’t feel like an addict because I’m craving a Manhattan at 10:30 in the morning.
As an American whiskey drinker living in Canada, I didnt realize how fortunate I am to be surrounded by such a variety: Canadian Club, Glenfiddich, Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, Jack Daniels, ect. The most revered locally is Canadian Club, a rye whiskey you can buy for around 25$ a litre. But here too the perception is that rye is the “everyday man’s scotch”, not as how your twitter follower noted.
Great minds moment. I include a cocktail post on my blog every week; after a couple of weeks of fun but a bit frou frou drinks I’m craving a big girl cocktail. I was recently given a bottle of Templeton Rye, a small batch rye from a producer in, of all places, Iowa and I’ve recently discovered Vya Vermouth out of California which I think is far superior to what I used to buy from France. I am going the half sweet/half dry route; wouldn’t it be fun if we could compare the results?
That leaves the cherries and right now I’m so glad I made my own maraschino cherries when cherries were in season. Sour cherries, some sugar and Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur and I’m set. This makes me want to do it NOW but I know better. What’s the fun of making a cocktail if not being able to drink it…and as much as I would love to; I have to admit 9am might be pushing a lot of limits..including my ability to work! Lovely post!
I love Manhattans too, and you did them right. Next time you might want to experiment by adding more bitters (say, double what you added this time). Bitters are kind of like salt in cooking — not something you really taste if you have the balance right, but something that adds a subtle dimension. And shaking vs. stirring? The “rule” is when you have all clear liquids — like in a Manhattan or Martini — you stir. When you shake, you (briefly) introduce oxygen bubbles into the mix, which clouds the drink somewhat (a lot of people like the clarity of a Manhattan or Martini). When you introduce citrus into a drink — the lemon in a Sidecar, for example — then shake away! The citrus juice isn’t clear anyway so no matter if you add a few bubbles, and shaking is the best way to mix the drink, and chill it in a hurry (you have to stir longer than you shake to chill the drink). BTW, I often shake my Manhattans, just because! But I’ve always had problems with rules.
My 2 cents worth..However, first off, love your blog, cookbooks and your time spent at Chez Pannisse, ah, those were the days in Berkeley! Anyways, being my age and working in restaurants as a bartender when the drinking age in NY was 18 (which meant I was 16) I learned how to make all of what is considered retro cocktails now. I also learned from now Dad, cocktail making and the right props were essential back in the early 60s in the States. I, too, remember eating the maraschino cherries by the jarful, olives soaked in gin, right out of my Dad’s martini glass. (He liked gin martinis on the rocks with lemon twist, of course rubbed around the glass like in an up version). So, David, we must be of the same generation to remember these stories, way before MADD and all that. My sisters and I use to help my parents serve their friends (on a lacquered tray) cocktails. Your Manhattan brings back so many memories of Hanukkah with silver dollars as gelt and tinsel on the Christmas trees.
BTW- speaking of whiskey, in western Pennsylvania, in 1791, there was the Whiskey Rebellion, against the surtax on whiskey, only in the States! Might be a conversation piece with across the pond friends. To Lauren – My mom makes her Irish Cream with kahlua and whiskey, it goes along well with the bourbon balls!! ;)
2 oz. Canadian Rye whiskey, V.o. or Crown Royal
Stir with crushed ice
Pour into a frozen up or rock glass
LOL. My grandparents settled in Milwaukee and I will forever remember my grandpa yelling at grandma, “Josephine get me one of those Manhattans”. Usually at the third one she would say no and he would tell one of us kids to make one. My Mom, upon waking from debulking surgery for fallopian tube cancer, opened her eyes and said to the nurse, ” I’m from Milwaukee, I like Manhattans”. We served them at her funeral luncheon per her requiste. So many a time, I will make myself the Milwaukee version – a Brandy Manhattan – 2 shots of brandy (large), 1 shot of sweet vermouth, all over ice, 3 maraschino cherries and a good pour of the juice (no bitters ever, that is reserved for the Brandy Old Fashion). Yummy. The juice takes away the harshness of the alcohol. Someone in my family, who will remain nameless, usually doubles all ingredients for his drink except the cherries. A big hint for ALL who imbibe, whether it be wine or hard liquor (don’t know about beer). Drink a full glass of ice water between drinks or along with the drink. You don’t get dehydrated AND there is no hangover the next day. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
Sadly, the Rye situation in Rome is pretty dire too. Which means that I’ve long since switched to bourbon for my Manhattans. Maker’s Mark is my favorite. So far I’ve not been attacked by any cocktail snobs. I know what you mean though about the maraschino cherries. Which is why I’ve been playing around making my own versions. Two years ago I used grappa to soak them in. Definitely not too sweet, but maybe too over powering for the cocktail (although they worked well over gelato). This year I followed Melissa Clark’s recipe and used Maraschino liqueur to soak them in. Perfect!
kathy: Ha! In a recent New Yorker food issue, there was a story of a young man, whose father-in-law mixed his Manhattans 4 parts whiskey, 1 part vermouth. Someday I will try that – although if I do, I’ll take your advice about a glass of ice water between ‘em.
And I hear ya’ on the whole shaken vs stirred category. I’ve seen people do things like chicken in Caesar Salads (or in Paris, canned corn), dried fruit in bagels, and tapenade recipes without capers in them. I think it’s best just to enjoy what you like.
There was a bartender/owner in San Francisco that was one tough fellow and if you went into his bar and ordered some goofy cocktail, he would kick you out. He’d only make gin martinis. If you didn’t want a gin martini, he would tell you to leave. He used the crappiest gin from the supermarket (one of those big bottles with a handle) and “pounded” the martini with a muddler, which he said made it really cold. And they were excellent and lauded by many. He broke a couple of rules there, but no one dared say anything! : )
Virginia: That’s interesting, although sounds like something maybe the Chambord folks come up with to sell more of their product since I’ve not heard of those in Paris. (You don’t see Chambord often in France.) You’re lucky to have those nice rye whiskies available. Unfortunately we only have a few to choose from – interesting all these micro-producers popping up in the US.
You might try this recipe: Mix equal portions of Canadian Club and Jim Beam. Then mix equal portions of dry vermouth and sweet vermouth. Then use two parts whiskey mixture to one part vermouth mixture. Then keep this mixture in the freezer, so that your Manhattans are always ready, and always ice cold. Once you pour, add a dash of bitters and a cherry–maraschino, or David’s sour if you’re lucky enough to have made some and still have them on hand.
My fiance makes the best Manhattans in the world, and his secret is using Scrappys cardamom bitters. CARDAMOM. It’s the perfect something-something with the rye, all spicy and warm. (His other secret is to make all cocktails extra-large.)
Great article! And made me want to go & make one immediately. Sent post to my husband who has been experimenting w/ Rye. Cocktails at 7pm Central US in Austin, TX. Thanks David.
came back to mention that my current favorite twist on a Manhattan is using St. Germaine in place of the sweet vermouth, and a dash of orange bitters. sublime.
That St. Germaine is wonderful stuff, and pricey! Always thought I would try to make something similar with the elderflowers I see out in the countryside, but never got around to it. Perhaps I should just spring for a bottle!
I’ll add my vote to using Carpano Antica as well. It’s wonderful (ok, addictive in the best possible sense) all by itself, but it gives a certain depth to a Manhattan that I like. I suppose you could sub another “amaro” like Fernet or Ramazzotti or even Campari for the bitters.
I have used Amaro (Ramazzotti) in Manhattans, which works quite well – I like that Maraschino liquor a lot. It’s hard to find in Paris, like some Italian liqueurs tend to be (best bets are Italian épiceries rather than liquor stores) – but it’s also good for baking, adding a little bit to fruit mixtures to augment the flavors.
Here in the Bourbon Capital of the World, Lexington, KY, we make our Manahattans w/ Four Roses Single Barrel. And if you are really in the mood, purchase a real charred 2-liter oak barrel and fill with a large batch of Manahattans. Age for 4 weeks in a cool dark place. Decant into glass bottles and store in the fridge. This may rock your Manhattan world!
Stir with cracked ice; strain into chilled cocktail glass. Serve with maraschino cherry.
The timing of this blog is uncanny! After falling deeply in love with manhattans at the Top of the Standard in, funnily enough, Manhattan, my Husband and I have been searching for one as good. We finally hit on it last night t the new QT hotel in Sydney, where the barman was using Basil Haydon to make them. Amazing! We resolved after two …(or three) to go on the hunt for more info and the perfect recipe. Then I wake up and hey presto your email is in my inbox! You might just be the man who saved Christmas ;0)
OK since the Old Fashioned was mentioned I must say that this is quite likely the most elegant bourbon drink ever. The best recipe was found in Garden and Gun (a great magazine on its own). As follows: lemon rind and one natural sugar cube plus 2 dashes angostura and 1 dash Regans orange bitters. Muddle then add 1 oz water and muddle again. Add 2-3 oz bourbon (I like something over 100 proof). Add one large ice cube then sit and contemplate the world. Then make another.
These days in Berkeley we drink Old Potrero rye whiskey with Carpano Antica vermouth, a cherry (thanks for your recipe) and a twist of orange and call it a Gotham City. It takes the edge right off a stressful day!
David, although not related to enjoying a Manhattan, I wanted to drop you a line to say how much I (and everyone who has tried them) love your Pretzel/Nut Mix you recently wrote about. Come to think about it, a Manhattan and a handful of your Pretzel/Nut mix sounds great. I am now waiting for a batch to come out of the oven, which I will package up as holiday housewarming gifts. We had 18 family and friends over for a pre-Thanksgiving dinner drinks and appetizer party and your Pretzel/Nut mix was a huge hit. My 2 year old great niece went home with your own bag for enjoying later and I understand she did not share one bite! I am a home baker in Oakland, Ca, and belong to Bakers Dozen where we all talk about your baking skills at everyone meeting. If you happen to be visiting San Francisco, please look us up. We would love to have you come a meeting which are held at Foreign Cinema! Lovely lunch, fabulous bakers and great surroundings-how can you not love this group!
My favorite brown cocktail! I have used Pikesville Rye (my husband is from Pikesville, MD), which hasn’t been made in PIkesville for years and is hard to find. Now I use either Jim Beam Rye or Old Overholt. I think it’s a waste to buy an expensive $50 bottle of rye to use in a mixed drink. I splurge on the sweet vermouth, since it is what gives the sweet, herbal flavor to the drink; my favorites are Punt e Mes or Antica Formula, both made by Carpano. They are much more complex than the usual Martini and Rossi or Cinzano sweet vermouths. A couple of shakes of Angostura bitters and you’re done. I have also used a shake of Fee Brothers Cherry Bitters to underscore the cherry. I just recently ordered a jar of real maraschino cherries from Italy made by Luxardo, and they are a revelation, totally worth the $16 a jar. They are tinier than the American cherries, so you get a lot of cherry for the money.
I sometimes think it is a waste to use very good liquor in mixed drinks. But when a friend came over to make
What a great post. Also a trip down memory lane(s). My Grandmother was a Manhattan drinker and I remember tasting many a whiskey soaked cherry. In the 70s and 80s my Dad and my Step Mom owned a restaurant on Lake Superior, in Michigan near the Wisconsin border. My Dad and Step Mom were foodies before we used that word. Their restaurant was at the end of a 30 mile road, in the middle of the woods, but truly in the middle of nowhere. The restaurant sign said: “Outpost at the World’s End”. They served amazing food and drink to locals and tourists in the summer and to skiers in the winter. All the fish was grilled and the specialty was fresh water herring. My parents had good taste and the bar was stocked with all kinds of Canadian and American Whiskey. What they didn’t know or appreciate when they opened is that Upper Michigan and Wisconsin is brandy territory. Brandy old-fashioneds, brandy and sodas, brandy and 7. And those Uppers love them some Brandy Manhattans. I spent many summers and winter vacations serving endless Brandy Manhattans, both up and on the rocks. And no bitters, thank you very much.
“Stir with ice, strain, garnish with flamed orange peel.” (The flamed orange peel sounds tricky, so I just use a slice of orange or clementine zest as-is.)
Manhattans have always been my dad’s go-to cocktail so of course they became mine. It’s also a drink that makes a girl stand out from the crowd of cosmopolitan and mojito drinkers.
You can make your own maraschino cherries quite easily by macerating them in the Luxardo Maraschino liqueur… although if that’s hard to get, I wonder if Kirsch would be an acceptable substitute. I must admit that even though I appreciate the “authentic” maraschino cherries I still have a soft spot for the awful artificially colored ones…
Rediscovered Manhattans abut 6 months ago. Best one I ever made was with a mixture of Carpano Antica and Punt e Mes (I am of Piemontese descent and love my bitters).
Bitters, yes, but a Manhattan specifically calls for Angostura bitters. You’ll find 1 dash per drink is very light. I would recommend a heavier hand. Also, a great rye made in Canada is Alberta Springs, made from 100% rye grain. It adds a nice spicy finish, and hasn’t been discovered by the in crowd so it is still on the inexpensive, for Canadian liquors, side of things.
Also, by stirring you can control the amount of water diluting the drink, not so with shaking. To dress the drink up I use griottines rather than those nasty neon maraschino things.
My first household chore in the early 50′s was making the Manhattans for my parents. Three whiskey (Barton Reserve) two vermouth. Then in the seventies, after my Boone’s Farm phase, I started ordering perfectVOManhattanstraightupwithatwist, like a million times, and I’ve been trying to refine the recipe for forty years. I always have all the great ingredients everyone has listed here, the Carpano Formula Antica, Luxardo cherries, Fee Brothers lemon bitters, Punt e Mes, Amaro, all of them, and they’re all great. So great, in fact, that they can make a drink so tasty it gets out of whack. So on Friday at 5, for myself, I use things that play well with others. Four ounces VO, one ounce Vya sweet, one ounce Vya dry, Angostura bitters and a lemon twist, stirred and strained. It’s beautiful, balanced and delicious, and I use the others to blow my guests brains out.
One of the great things about Manhattans (and other cocktails) is that you can use a base recipe, then vary it depending on what you use. I use Amaro but most people don’t have them (so good to have on hand, when you need a little bitters after dinner) and the various vermouths. Next time I head to the Maison du Whisky, I’m getting some Punt e Mes, since it’s good to have around and so many folks – including you & the clerk – recommended it.
For those wondering at its scarcity: Heaven Hill Distillery produces both Rittenhouse and Pikesville, and as the former grew popular they decided to cut back production of the latter. I’m unsure as to whether they’re just keeping it on the east coast, but we sadly don’t see it in San Francisco anymore. A real shame, because it was a fine mixer.
I have never had a Manhattan. I need to get out more. Does it count I like a nice Whiskey Sour?
A wonderful addition is to soak fresh cherries in whiskey for a couple of months. I use Bing and Rainiers in Markers Mark. The resulting cherries are great in Manhattans, and the residual liquid is a nice addition to drinks or use your imagination. A local bar here in Seattle makes a lovely Manhattan with the usual ingredients and adds a little splash of Lemoncello, very palatable. I see a citrus theme developing here.
I have always been a big fan of Manhattans and recently a friend brought me a bottle of High West Distillery’s “36th Vote Barreled Manhattan.” This is a pre-mixed Manhattan that is produced by a boutique producer in Utah (yes, Utah) with a traditional recipe of rye whiskey, sweet vermouth and bitters. After mixing, it is aged in oak barrels before bottling. It is, without a doubt, the best Manhattan that I have had in my life!
Please, no nasty comments about a pre-mixed Manhattan until you have tried it.
Was my grandparents go-to drink. My grandma was so particular about her recipe (which I’m now scrambling to find) that they would make large batches and put them into seal-a-meal bags when traveling. Have never had one either (@chezloulou)…think it’s about time I tried!
This is my favorite drink, although I also prefer to make “perfect” manhattans — one part dry, one part sweet vermouth — but I otherwise use the same formula, and swear by it. I even made it by candlelight during Hurricane Sandy! Sure, my cookbook had come out that day but at that moment *that* had been my proudest culinary achievement thus far.
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