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
Pour the whiskey and vermouth into a mixing glass with ice cubes.
Stir well.
Strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with one (or two) cocktail cherries.
Enjoy. ***Oh, and if you are using a jigger or something that measures by the oz, the proportions are 2.5 oz of rye to 1 oz of vermouth. It makes a slightly bigger drink than by ml, but it tastes just as good!
Labels: Cocktails, Rye, Sweet Vermouth, Whisky/Whiskey
