8-2-Eat: Further Exploration of the Manhattan

8-2-Eat is my food-focused list series. A perfect Friday distraction. Since the Manhattan cocktail is the theme this week, I offer eight additional articles (actually seven and a podcast) covering various aspects of my favorite cocktail.

My Poor Liver Podcast: "The Manhattan Transfer." Eddie and Neil try Manhattans made with three different bourbons and three different sweet vermouths. A fun experiment and the reason I learned to love Carpano Antica vermouth.

Death & Co: Modern Classic Cocktails. I shared quite a few Manhattan recipe variations this week. If you're looking for more, this wonderful book has a section on Manhattan variations with 13 recipes that get pretty creative and even include rum.

The Cocktail Chronicles. Paul Clarke's book, The Cocktail Chronicles, which I reviewed earlier this year, also includes a great section of Manhattan variations (including one I featured earlier this week, the Black Manhattan).

Imbibe Magazine: 10 Places for Manhattans in...Manhattan. I ordered a Manhattan recently in Manhattan and it was unfortunately not up to snuff. Too bad I didn't consult Imbibe Magazine's list first to find some really great places to get a Manhattan.

Eater DC: Here's What a Manhattan Costs Around DC. Of course, you can get a good Manhattan outside of Manhattan. Here's a map with 12 places to get them in D.C.

Huffington Post: Manhattan Taste Test: Does Expensive Rye & Vermouth Improve This Classic Cocktail? A wonderful Manhattan taste-test article, ranking the results of various combinations among eight rye whiskeys and three sweet vermouths.

SF Gate: The Manhattan project: A bartender spills his secrets on the king of cocktails. Gaz Regan, the guy behind Regan's orange bitters, discusses Manhattans in depth in this 2007 piece, providing his advice for each component of the drink (not unlike I did on Monday). I love how he compares them to martinis: "over the past century or so, while the martini has morphed into an excuse to drink straight gin or vodka, the Manhattan has stood its ground."

Edible Manhattan: Decline and Fall of the Manhattan. An interesting piece comparing the history of the martini to that of the Manhattan: "the Martini became malleable, protean; it was whatever anyone wanted it to be, and so became the most popular and famous cocktail of all time. The Manhattan didn’t change, rather it became more set in its ways."

Ode to the Manhattan Cocktail

During the past year, we've discovered a new favorite cocktail: the Manhattan. Of course, it's not a "new" drink, and we'd be drinking them for years. But, for whatever reason, lately it's what we turn to the most.

A good Manhattan is wonderfully satisfying: it has the woodsy/spicy flavor of whiskey, a bit of sweetness from the vermouth and a touch of bitterness. It's cold but not frozen, assertive but not overpowering, not too sweet and not too bitter.

In his book, Imbibe!, David Wondrich, renowned chronicler of cocktail history, states that there is general agreement that the Manhattan cocktail did in fact originate in New York. After that, there is a lot of disagreement as to its origins, a common problem in tracing the history of many of the best-known cocktails (I summarized some of these theories last year when I wrote about the Manhattan as part of my cocktail bitters week). No matter how it started, Wondrich says that drink was pretty well established by the mid-1880s. As such, it predates the classic martini by about a decade.

This week, I'm going to focus my attention upon this intoxicating drink: its history, recipe variations and, importantly, how to make it well. I have a companion article up today on constructing the perfect Manhattan. Below are links to 10 variations on the Manhattan that I put up on my site today.

I'm not the only one who likes to play around with Manhattans. My friends on the My Poor Liver Podcast tried three different bourbon-based Manhattans in their "Manhattan transfer" episode last year. And check out The Rakish Bon Vivant's excellent overview of his Manhattan experiments, published on the Duncan Quinn site. (Anybody know who The Rakish Bon Vivant Is? His blog hasn't been updated in 3 years, but he has some great content.) Check back on Friday for an 8-2-Eat with further reading (and listening) on the Manhattan.


Traditional Manhattan - The basic classic of 2:1 rye whiskey and sweet vermouth with bitters.

Classic Manhattan, variation #1 - A heftier 3:1 rye-to-vermouth ratio made this my Manhattan of choice for most of this year.

Classic Manhattan, variation #2 - Playing with ingredients, a subtle switch from variation #1 featuring my new favorite sweet vermouth, Carpano Antica.

White Manhattan - A brighter take on the Manhattan made with unaged rye whiskey and white vermouth (I've actually included two recipes here--one by a San Francisco bartender and my own version).

Winter Manhattan - The opposite of the white Manhattan, a smokier, woodsier version I created that I think is perfect for cold months.

Black Manhattan - The classic Manhattan but made with Italian amaro instead of sweet vermouth.

Elijah's Railcar - A variation on the Black Manhattan with a little honey and an aromatic grating of cinnamon.

Brooklyn - Admittedly, not a Manhattan, but it's close cousin from across the East River. The Brooklyn uses dry instead of sweet vermouth, getting its sweetness instead from maraschino liqueur.

Perfect Manhattan - A classic variation that uses both sweet and dry vermouths in equal measure.

Spanish Harlem - A south-of-the-border version made with añejo tequila instead of whiskey.

Manhattan Construction

How do you build the best Manhattan? That's a simple question with a not so simple answer. Like a lot of cocktails that have been around awhile, there are lots of ways to make a Manhattan. Opinions on what makes "the best" Manhattan are likely as strong as the drink itself.

Here then are my opinions, honed to perfection (or so I'd like to think) with quite a lot of experience and research (ahem).

Style

First and foremost, Manhattans can be served in different ways. I prefer mine served up (i.e. in a cocktail glass without ice). They are also sometimes served on the rocks in a lowball glass, which would keep the drink colder but also dilute it more if you don't drink it fast. A Manhattan is a strong cocktail. It should be enjoyed and not downed quickly with a few swallows. Save the rocks and rocks glass for an Old Fashioned.

Glass

An "up" Manhattan calls for classy glass--something statuesque. It can be either a coupe (the rounded kind that champagne was once popularly served in) or a cocktail glass (the conical kind some people call a "martini" glass). Pop the glass in the freezer before you start making the drink to give it a nice chill.

Whiskey

Whiskey is the base spirit of a Manhattan, and about half the finished drink is whiskey, so choose a good one. Although a lot of people make a Manhattan with bourbon, rye whiskey is traditional, and I prefer it myself. While a bourbon Manhattan isn't a bad thing, I find it gives the drink a softer, sweeter profile. I like the rougher flavor of the rye. I wouldn't recommend other types of whiskey for a Manhattan. Rittenhouse and Bulleit are my favorite rye whiskeys. Clay Risen's authoritative American Whiskey Bourbon & Rye: A Guide to the Nation's Favorite Spirit calls Bulleit rye "a fine choice for a Manhattan cocktail" and says that Rittenhouse rye is "a spot-on classic rye." I keep both stocked in our bar depending on my mood.

Sweet vermouth

Sweet vermouth, also known as Italian or red vermouth, is what you want to take the edge off the whiskey and add sweetness. Dolin sweet vermouth is a very good choice for Manhattans, and I love that they sell their vermouth in smaller bottles, so you can use it up and it stays fresh. However, lately, I've become a convert to Carpano Antica sweet vermouth, a relatively new product that adds a bit of vanilla. It makes for a fantastic Manhattan. Some variations also experiment with Italian amari, which can be fun, although not traditional.

Ratio

The traditional ratio for a Manhattan is 2:1 whiskey to vermouth. I find the 2:1 works great with a 100-proof whiskey like Rittenhouse rye. When using a standard-proof (in the 80s to 90s) whiskey, however, I like to up the whiskey a bit to 3:1. There are, of course, other formulas. Gary Regan's Bartender's Guide uses a 2 2/3 to 1 ratio, making for a stronger drink.

Bitters

Traditionally, a Manhattan is made with Angostura bitters. If you have a single bottle of bitters kicking around your bar, it's probably this one. However, other bitters work great in a Manhattan too. Orange bitters can make for a bright drink, while chocolate bitters can add a dessert-like component. And during the winter months, Fee Brothers' whiskey barrel-aged bitters makes for a particularly cosy Manhattan. I also sometimes split the difference with one dash of aromatic (Angostura or whiskey barrel-aged) bitters and one dash of orange bitters. I don't recommend using more than two dashes of bitters per drink, as it can make the drink too bitter.

Technique

Since a Manhattan is all alcohol, experts would advise stirring it, and I really do agree. Shaken Manhattans can get too diluted and it's weird to get a Manhattan with a few bubbles on top, a telltale sign it was shaken. Stirring a cocktail isn't just a few turns with spoon. You need to stir long enough to thoroughly chill and slightly dilute the drink, at least 30 seconds up to a minute.

Garnish

Manhattans can be garnished with either a cherry or a citrus twist, but not both. This isn't an Old Fashioned (and really, and Old Fashioned also only needs one garnish). When I started making Manhattans, I was in the orange peel camp, but I migrated to the preserved sweetened cherry camp. Maraschino cherries are traditional and easy to come by; however, I often garnish my Manhattans with the darker bing cherry, just because it looks cool.

Cocktail: Traditional Manhattan

2 oz. rye whiskey, such as Rittenhouse
1 oz. sweet vermouth, such a Carpano Antica or Dolin
2 dashes bitters, such as Angostura
Maraschino or bing cherry, garnish

Combine whiskey, vermouth and bitters in a cocktail mixing glass with ice. Stir until very cold, about 30 seconds. Strain into a chilled coupe or cocktail glass. Garnish with cherry.

Related

Ode to the Manhattan and Recipes for 10 Manhattan Variations

Cocktails: Black Manhattan and Elijah's Railcar

The Black Manhattan is a simple variation on the classic formula: substitute an Italian amaro for the sweet vermouth. Presto! Black Manhattan. Amari (the plural of amaro) are Italian herbal liqueurs with complex sweet and bitter flavors. Using an amaro makes for a wonderful Manhattan that's both more bitter and more sweet than usual. Many amari have a higher alcohol content (30 to 40 percent) like a liqueur you'd keep in your liquor cabinet, although some have less alcohol (15 to 20 percent), more like a fortified wine, and should therefore be refrigerated. Credit for this drink goes to Todd Smith, bar director of the Bourbon and Branch bar in San Francisco.

For a wonderful variation on the Black Manhattan, I heartily endorse the Elijah's Railcar (pictured above). We encountered this drink at the CU29 bar in Austin the other week, and it was hands-down our favorite cocktail of the trip. It's a wonderful riff on the Black Manhattan with a touch of honey and an aromatic finish of freshly grated cinnamon. It's a perfect drink for the upcoming holidays.

Although not on the bar's menu, I asked the bartender what was in it. The measurements below are my own, but the technique was hers. I haven't been able to find a recipe for this drink online, but what I have found suggests it originated at the Soho Cocktail Bar in San Antonio, Texas.

Black Manhattan
Adapted from a recipe by Todd Smith of San Francisco's Bourbon and Branch

2 oz. Buffalo Trace bourbon whiskey (although rye is the more traditional pick for a Manhattan, bourbon is what's used for this drink)
1 oz. Averna (or other Italian amaro)
1 dash Angostura bitters
1 dash Regan's orange bitters
Bing cherry garnish

In a cocktail mixing glass, combine whiskey, amaro and bitters with ice. Stir until very cold, about 30 seconds, then strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with the cherry.


Cocktail: Elijah's Railcar
Inspired by the Elijah's Railcar at CU29 in Austin

Honey liqueur, for rinsing the glass (see note below for recipe)
2 oz. Rittenhouse rye whiskey
1 oz. Italian amaro, such as Meletti or Averna
2 dashes chocolate bitters
Bing cherry, garnish
Grated cinnamon

1. Pour a tablespoon of honey liqueur into a coupe glass and swirl to rinse the glass. Dump out and repeat.

2. In a cocktail mixing glass, combine rye whiskey, amaro and bitters with ice. Stir until very cold, about 30 seconds, then strain into the liqueur-rinsed coupe. Garnish with a bing cherry and freshly grated cinnamon.

Note: You can buy honey liqueur, but it's easy to make. For a small quantity, combine 3 tbsp. honey and 2 tbsp. water in a microwave safe container (like a glass Pyrex measuring cup). Microwave on high for 15-20 seconds, remove and stir to combine. Add 1/2 cup vodka and stir combine. Store in the refrigerator.

Cocktail: Spanish Harlem

Whiskey is the heart and soul of a Manhattan. So what happens when you set the whiskey aside?

If you go the tequila route, you end up with a Spanish Harlem, a Manhattan variation where aged tequila stands in for whiskey. It's named for the section of northern Manhattan known for its large Latino immigrant population. I made my version with añejo tequila, which is aged for at least 1 year--shorter than many whiskeys but longer than most tequilas.

This drink was featured last summer during a My Poor Liver Podcast. They joke about having invented it the previous week and then found out it already existed (I know how that feels--I remember an evening where I "invented" a White Russian).

Cocktail: Spanish Harlem

2 oz. Sauza ańejo tequila
3/4 oz. Dolin sweet vermouth
1/4 oz. Cointreau (orange liqueur, triple sec)
2 dashes Bittermens mole bitters
2 dashes Regan's orange bitters
Bing cherry, garnish

Combine tequila, vermouth, Cointreau and bitters in a cocktail mixing glass with ice and stir until very cold, at least 30 seconds. Strain into a chilled coupe glass and garnish with a cherry.

Manhattan Cocktails: 2 Classic Variations

As I explain in my Manhattan Construction post today, the simplest way to vary a Manhattan is through its ingredients and their ratio in the drink, that is the proportion of whiskey to vermouth.

Below are recipes for two classic variations on the Manhattan. They both call for whiskey, sweet vermouth and bitters--nothing fancy. But the subtle variation in ingredients and the ratio will result in a slightly different drink.

The first version is what I was making for most of the year. It employs a 3:1 ratio of whiskey to vermouth, making for a slightly stronger Manhattan than you get from the typical 2:1 ratio. The drink is dry but just sweet enough.

Part of the reason I changed the ratio in version 1 is that I was using a 90 proof rye, rather than a 100 proof. For version 2, made with 100 proof Rittenhouse rye, I found the traditional 2:1 ratio works better, as the 3:1 Manhattan when made with Rittenhouse was too assertive.

You'll notice I also recommend a different sweet vermouth. I recently discovered Carpano Antica, and it's fantastic. The one drawback of this vermouth is that it only comes in a large bottle, so you gotta really use it, since sweet vermouth starts to go bad after a month or two in the fridge (and for the love of all things cocktails, do not store opened sweet vermouth at room temperature--it's a wine).

Lastly, the garnish is different here as well, but that's just for fun, as it really makes no difference in taste. I think the darker look of a bing cherry looks cool in a Manhattan, but maraschino cherries are a fine choice too.

Cocktail: Classic Manhattan (version 1)

2 1/4 oz. Bulleit rye whiskey
3/4 oz. Dolin sweet vermouth
1 dash Regan's orange bitters
1 dash Angostura bitters
Maraschino cherry garnish

Cocktail: Classic Manhattan (version 2)

2 oz. Rittenhouse rye whiskey
1 oz. Carpano Antica formula sweet vermouth
1 dash Regan's orange bitters
1 dash Angostura bitters
Bing cherry garnish

Combine whiskey, vermouth and bitters in a cocktail mixing glass with ice. Stir until very cold, about 30 seconds. Strain into a chilled coupe or cocktail glass. Garnish with cherry.

Cocktail: Winter Manhattan

Take the Manhattan to a winter place. A place that's a little smoky, a little woodsy. It's like a drink you could enjoy in your mountain cabin with a warm, crackling fire in the fireplace while a soft snow falls outside. That's the idea behind the Winter Manhattan. Cheers.

Cocktail: Winter Manhattan

2 oz. Rittenhouse rye whiskey
1 oz. Carpano Antica sweet vermouth
2 dashes Fee Brothers whiskey barrel-aged bitters
1 tsp. Laphroaig Islay Scotch
Bing cherry, garnish

Combine whiskey, vermouth and bitters in a cocktail mixing glass with ice. Stir until very cold, about 30 seconds. Pour the Scotch into a chilled cocktail glass. Swirl the Scotch around the glass and pour out any excess. Strain the cocktail into the glass and garnish with a bing cherry.

Cocktail: Brooklyn

Everyone's heard of the Manhattan. It's one of the most famous cocktails. But the other four boroughs of New York City also have cocktails named after them.

The best of those is the Brooklyn, which is fairly similar to the Manhattan: they both have rye whiskey, vermouth and bitters; however, the Brooklyn is made with dry vermouth with its sweetness coming from a touch of maraschino liqueur. It's a nice drink and it's no newbie: the recipe in the PDT Cocktail Book dates back to 1910.

The bitters are a bit tricky. Traditionally, the drink is made with Amer Picon, but good luck finding that. I've read all sorts of suggestions for what you can substitute for it, but I think the easiest thing is to just use a few squirts of Angostura bitters (Leave it to Brooklyn to include in its namesake cocktail an ingredient no one can find).

Since I like my Manhattans up, it seems right to serve the Brooklyn on the rocks, or perhaps with one big round rock like I've done here.

Cocktail: Brooklyn

2 oz. Rittenhouse rye whiskey
3/4 oz. Dolin dry vermouth
1/4 oz. Luxardo maraschino liqueur
1/4 oz. Amer Picon (may substitute 2 dashes of Angostura bitters)
Bing or maraschino cherry garnish (optional)

Combine whiskey, vermouth, liqueur and bitters in a cocktail mixing glass with ice. Stir until very cold, at least 30 seconds. Strain into a chilled coup and garnish with a cherry, if desired.

Cocktail: White Manhattan

While you can drink Manhattans year-round (we certainly do), as a dark-spirit drink, it seems best-suited for fall and winter. So what to do during the summer if you're really craving a Manhattan but not in the mood for the dark, caramel notes of whiskey? You can try a White Manhattan.

This variation is made from clear ingredients, rather than the typical brown ones. Hence it's a "white" Manhattan.

For the whiskey, you'll need a white whiskey, also known sometimes as "white dog," which hasn't been aged in a barrel and therefore hasn't taken on the brown color that comes from barrel-aging. There are a number of choices on the market, both for white bourbons and white ryes. I went with Wasmund's rye spirit, which is made in Sperryville, Virginia, from 2/3 rye and 1/3 malted barley. At 124 proof, this is strong stuff. It has a nice smoky nose to it, almost like a mezcal.

For the vermouth, you'll want white vermouth, also known as bianco or blanc. Although dry vermouth is clear, it's not very sweet. White vermouth is sweet like sweet (i.e. red) vermouth, so it's perfect for a White Manhattan. Dolin makes a nice version. Unfortunately, they don't sell their blanc vermouth in the smaller-size bottles like they do their dry and sweet vermouths, so you'll probably want to find other cocktails to use up that bottle before it goes bad (give the Silence Is Golden a try).

Below, I offer two variations on the White Manhattan. The first is a recipe The Washington Post ran in 2010 by Neyah White, former bar manager of Nopa in San Francisco. His recipe adds a touch of herbal Benedictine liqueur. This is a delicious drink, although the Benedictine actually makes it yellow instead of white. Wanting a truly clear Manhattan, I instead used Cointreau and maraschino liqueur in "My White Manhattan" (pictured above).

White Manhattan
Adapted from a recipe by Neyah White of Nopa in San Francisco

1 1/2 oz. white rye whiskey
1/2 oz. Dolin blanc vermouth
1/2 oz. Benedictine liqueur
3 dashes orange bitters

Combine whiskey, vermouth, liqueur and bitters in a cocktail mixing glass with ice. Stir until very cold, at least 30 seconds. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. No garnish.

My White Manhattan

2 oz. white rye whiskey
3/4 oz. Dolin white vermouth
1/2 oz. Combier orange liqueur
1/4 oz. Luxardo maraschino liqueur
2 dashes Regan orange bitters
Orange peel garnish

Combine whiskey, vermouth, liqueurs and bitters in a cocktail mixing glass with ice. Stir until very cold, at least 30 seconds. Strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with an orange peel.

Cocktail: Perfect Manhattan

Many would argue that a traditional Manhattan is as perfect as a Manhattan needs to be. Yet there is a variation called the Perfect Manhattan, so named because it's made with both sweet and dry vermouth in "perfect" balance--1/2 ounce of each. With this Manhattan, ditch the cherry and garnish with a lemon twist instead.

Perfect Manhattan

2 oz. rye whiskey
1/2 oz. dry vermouth
1/2 oz. sweet vermouth
2 dashes orange bitters
Lemon twist garnish

Combine whiskey, vermouths and bitters in a cocktail mixing glass with ice. Stir until very cold, at least 30 seconds. Garnish with lemon twist.