Manhattan cocktail in a coupe — Sweet vermouth

Manhattan Cocktail Recipe

boozy sweet bitter

rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, angostura bitters

History

The Manhattan is one of the foundational modern cocktails, emerging in New York in the 1870s. Popular lore places its creation at the Manhattan Club, though the often-repeated story involving Winston Churchill’s mother, Jennie Jerome, has been largely discredited. A more plausible early account credits a bartender named Black working near Broadway and Houston. By the mid-1880s the drink—whiskey, sweet vermouth, and bitters—was appearing in printed bartender’s guides. Rye keeps it spicy; bourbon is the home-bar swap if that is what is on the shelf. Two dashes of Angostura is enough — more turns it into a different whiskey cocktail. Stir, do not shake: air makes whiskey and vermouth cloudy and thin. A stirred Manhattan stays velvety. If rye and sweet vermouth are already in the pantry, this is the stirred drink to mix before you buy gin for a Martini.

Ingredients

As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Details on Privacy.

Missing a bottle? Stock your pantry to see what else you can mix.

How to make

Chill a coupe in the freezer while you mix — this is a stirred drink served up, not on ice.
Add 2 oz rye whiskey, 1 oz sweet vermouth, and 2 dashes of Angostura bitters to a mixing glass packed with ice.
Rye is the original; bourbon from the pantry makes a rounder, sweeter Manhattan.
Stir 20 to 30 seconds until the mixing glass frosts.
Never shake: whiskey and vermouth do not need air, and shaking makes a Manhattan cloudy, foamy, and more watered; stirring keeps it clear and velvety.
Strain into the chilled coupe.
Garnish with a cocktail cherry, or express an orange peel if you want spice over sweetness.

Glassware

Coupe

A wide bowl shows aroma and holds stirred or shaken drinks without stemware tipping over as easily as a V-shaped martini glass.

Buy on Amazon

Manhattan FAQ

Is a Manhattan made with rye or bourbon?

Rye whiskey is the original Manhattan: 2 oz rye, 1 oz sweet vermouth, and 2 dashes of Angostura bitters, stirred and served up. Bourbon from the pantry makes a rounder, sweeter Manhattan — same drink, different whiskey.

Should you stir or shake a Manhattan?

Stir. Rye, sweet vermouth, and bitters are all spirits and wine. Stirring keeps the Manhattan clear and velvety. Shaking clouds it, adds foam, and waters the whiskey. Save the shaker for a Whiskey Sour, which has lemon.

What ingredients are in a Manhattan?

A Manhattan is made with rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, and angostura bitters. Amounts and pantry matching are in the ingredients list on this page.

How do you make a Manhattan?

Chill a coupe in the freezer while you mix — this is a stirred drink served up, not on ice. Add 2 oz rye whiskey, 1 oz sweet vermouth, and 2 dashes of Angostura bitters to a mixing glass packed with ice. Rye is the original; bourbon from the pantry makes a rounder, sweeter Manhattan. Stir 20 to 30 seconds until the mixing glass frosts. Never shake: whiskey and vermouth do not need air, and shaking makes a Manhattan cloudy, foamy, and more watered; stirring keeps it clear and velvety. Strain into the chilled coupe. Garnish with a cocktail cherry, or express an orange peel if you want spice over sweetness.