Mixology Basics: The Manhattan
In 1891 The Manhattan makes its first appearance in William Schmidt's “The Flowing Bowl." You know it's a good one when it stands the test of time.
Traditionally the Manhattan is made with American rye whiskey which is what I use here. Some recipes call for bourbon or Canadian whiskey but I prefer the classic version.
The Manhattan
- 2 oz, 60 ml Rye Whiskey. I use Rittenhouse Rye.
- 1 oz, 30 ml Sweet Vermouth. Dolin Rouge or Carpano Antica Formula.
- 2 dashes Angostura bitters
- Garnish with a cocktail cherry. Amarena Fabbri Amarena Wild Cherries in syrup or Jack Rudy Bourbon cocktail cherries.
Place all ingredients in a mixing glass filled with ice and stir for 30 seconds. Strain into a chilled Nick & Nora glass. Garnish with a cocktail cherry.
Have you ever tried a French Manhattan? I like it even better but then I like all things Cognac.
French Manhattan
- 1 1/2 oz, 45 ml Cognac
- 1 1/2 oz, 45 ml Sweet Vermouth. Dolan Rouge or Carpano Antica Formula.
- 1/4 oz, 8 ml Cointreau
- 1 dash Orange Bitters
- Garnish: Cocktail Cherry
Place all ingredients in a mixing glass filled with ice and stir for 30 seconds. Strain into a chilled Nick & Nora glass. Garnish with a cocktail cherry.
Let me know what version you like best.
Glassware
For the Mixology Basics cocktails, you'll need four kinds of glasses: the coupe, the Nick & Nora, the martini, and the rocks glass. Here are the ones I use:
The Rocks or Double Old Fashioned Glass
I use my coupe glass the most followed by my Nick & Nora glasses. Both are quite versatile glasses you can use for a variety of cocktails.
When you buy cocktail glasses be sure to pay attention to the volume. We are now seeing Martini and Coupe glasses with volumes of up to 12 oz. Unless you plan to use the glasses for low-ABV beverages like a spritz avoid the large-volume glasses.
Cheers!
Darcy
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