The Authentic Recipe for This Cocktail Elusive: The Manhattan

The Manhattan cocktail is one of those drinks that seems to have been around forever. Its origins are unclear, but there are many theories. The first printed record of the drink was in 1882 when the New York Tribune printed a recipe for it; its ingredients were two parts rye whiskey, one part sweet vermouth, and a dash of bitters. This is known as the “classic” Manhattan, often found today on menus and in books about cocktails. There are many variations on this theme. Some recipes omit the sweet vermouth and just use rye whiskey and bitters; others specify different brands of whiskey or different types of bitters. Even those who specialize in mixing drinks can find this cocktail challenging to make well; it requires careful measurements and exact quantities of ingredients.

Classic Manhattan

The classic Manhattan is made with rye whiskey (50% rye), sweet vermouth (38% sweetness), and Angostura bitters (27% p.a.b. If you don’t have bitters scales to measure all those percentages precisely, you may want to try one of the other variations on the theme. The Dry Manhattan uses dry vermouth instead of sweet vermouth, and no bitters. Sweet Manhattan uses sweet vermouth and no bitters.

The Dry Manhattan

The Dry Manhattan uses rye whiskey, dry vermouth, and no bitters. This cocktail is perhaps the most difficult to make properly because the proportion of whiskey to vermouth must be exact, while the bitters can be omitted. The Sweet Manhattan uses rye whiskey and sweet vermouth, but no bitters. This is one of the easiest variations of the Manhattan recipe to make because the proportions of whiskey and vermouth can be varied to suit individual tastes.

Variations on the Theme

Another variation on the theme is the Russian Manhattan, which uses vodka instead of rye whiskey. Some people add a splash of orange juice to this variation, which turns it into a Black Manhattan. The Black Manhattan became very popular during the 1990s when it was featured in ads for the Absolut brand of Vodka. The Rob Roy is another variation of this theme. It uses Scotch whisky instead of rye whiskey and sweet vermouth, but again no bitters. The Bouquet Manhattan uses Grand Marnier (or other orange liqueur) instead of sweet vermouth, but again no bitters. Finally, Northern Manhattan uses sweet vermouth and rye whiskey, but with a dash of Drambuie or other scotch whisky liqueur instead of bitters.

Cocktails with Dark Rum

Rum is often used in cocktails that celebrate tropical locales, but it also works well in some variations of Manhattan. The Tropical Manhattan uses two parts dark rum to one part sweet vermouth; it has no bitters. The Tropical Manhattan is often made with dark rum from Puerto Rico. The Spanish Manhattan uses two parts light rum to one part sweet vermouth; it has no bitters. The Spanish Manhattan is often made with light rum from the West Indies. The Jamaican Manhattan uses two parts Jamaican rum to one part sweet vermouth; it has no bitters. The Jamaican Manhattan is often made with Jamaican rum, which is very potent. The Mojito is perhaps the ultimate tropical cocktail, but it is also one of the simplest. It uses white rum, lime juice, and soda water. A proper Mojito should have a splash of sugar dissolved in the lime juice.

Conclusion

The Manhattan cocktail is one of the most famous drinks in the world. There are many variations on the theme, and a wide range of different rums and whiskies can be used to make it. However, for all its fame, this cocktail remains elusive. It is often hard to make well, even for those who specialize in mixing drinks. It is therefore not surprising that people often wonder how to make the perfect Manhattan.