Manhattan
The Manhattan is another classic whiskey cocktail that requires very little expertise behind the bar. This wonderful combination of rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, and aromatic bitters provides for a smooth change of pace from other slow-sipping libations. For those unfamiliar, vermouth is a fortified wine that comes in a number of varieties that are a staple ingredient of my at-home-bar. Sweet vermouth in particular is used in many different cocktails featured here such as the Negroni (a gin-based cocktail). From my experience, cocktails with shorter lists of ingredients tend to rely more heavily on their quality. Though ingredients we use oftentimes may be dictated by availability or price-point, finding a great sweet vermouth is worth the investment (and one I would caution cutting corners). Conventional wisdom suggests stirring spirit-forward cocktails in a mixing glass to combine the ingredients; in addition to cooling the cocktail, stirring imparts a little necessary dilution in the absence of ice in the cocktail glass. Traditionally served “up” in a chilled coupe cocktail glass, there is nothing wrong serving it down “on the rocks” if that is your preference. Last, but certainly not least, do not forget to garnish your Manhattan with a maraschino cherry (or three). But don’t take my word for it, make one and try it yourself!
Manhattan
In your mixing glass, combine the Angostura bitters, sweet vermouth, and rye whiskey.
2 dashes / 0.25 tsp of Angostura Bitters
1 oz of Sweet Vermouth
2 oz of Rye Whiskey
Add ice to your mixing glass and stir until sufficiently chilled (around 25 to 30 seconds). Strain contents into your chilled coupe glass. Garnish with a skewered maraschino cherry.
TIP(S):
Chill your cocktail coupe — to extend the life of your Manhattan, place your cocktail coupe in the freezer for at least 15 minutes. Alternatively, you can place ice water in your cocktail coupe cocktail glass during the preparation.
