Manhattan
A Manhattan is one of the first of the "new fashioned" cocktails. Previously, virtually all drinks referred to as a "Cocktail" followed the pattern of "Spirit + Sugar + Water + Bitters". It would be this new-fangled style of cocktail which would bring rise to the term "Old Fashioned" as referring to a cocktail made in the old fashioned way.
Basic Recipe
Manhattan
- 2 ounces whiskey
- 1 ounce sweet vermouth
- 2 dashes aromatic bitters
Stir well with ice to chill. Strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a maraschino cherry, or lemon twist.
Unlike the Martini, recipes for the Manhattan are less controversial. A typical recipe will be 2 or 3 parts of whiskey to 1 part of vermouth. When simply referred to as a "Manhattan", it is expected to use sweet vermouth. If the customer prefers theirs to be made with dry vermouth instead, they should ask for a "dry Manhattan". If the customer asks for a "perfect Manhattan", they are wanting it to use both sweet and dry vermouth.
See Also
- Philip Greene, The Manhattan: The Story of the First Modern Cocktail Sterling Epicure (May 24, 2016)
External Links
- Manhattan (Wikipedia)
- The Strangely Cool Origin Story of the Manhattan (TheDailyBeast.com, Jul. 13, 2017)