The Classic Manhattan Cocktail
Until a few months ago, I didn’t believe I liked Manhattans. Give me a good Old Fashioned any day of the week, but Manhattans were out of my league.Truth be told, I hadn’t had one since college, and that was using God only knows what whiskey, and probably no bitters to speak of.
So I decided, now that I was drinking Martinis with aplomb, it was time to go back and see if I could make a proper Manhattan and, even more importantly, actually like it.
Turns out, the Manhattan is a classic cocktail for a reason. It’s absolutely delicious. Potent yes, but balanced, the sweet vermouth and bitters perfectly melding with the whiskey.
For my tastes, I prefer rye all the way, and the two brands I have at home (George Dickel and Rittenhouse) both make a great Manhattan when combined with Carpano Antica Formula sweet vermouth and Angostura bitters.
The recipe couldn’t be easier.
The Manhattan
- 50 ml Rye Whiskey
- 20 ml Sweet Vermouth
- 2 dashes Angostura bitters
The Carpano Antica can make a manhattan too “vanilla.” Martini & Rossi is classic. Canadian instead of rye is less expensive and not as cloying as bourbon.
Thanks for commenting! While I enjoy a manhattan with Martini and Rossi, I prefer the vanilla spice of the Carpano, although I agree that with bourbon it can be cloying. I’m definitely down with trying a Canadian whisky in the mix, although in Florida a spicy Canadian whisky is in the same price range as Dickel or Rittenhouse. Any brands you specifically recommend? And while I didn’t mention it in the post, a bottle of Old Overholt Rye makes a pretty darn good Manhattan too, and in my humble opinion, is the best rye value on the market.