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The Classic Manhattan Recipe

The Manhattan is a cocktail that rewards simplicity — just whiskey, sweet vermouth, and bitters — but its flavor is anything but simple. Learn the technique behind this timeless drink and discover variations to suit your taste.
Print Recipe
Course: Cocktails
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 2 oz rye whiskey traditional or bourbon (for a sweeter version)
  • 1 oz sweet vermouth Carpano Antica or Dolin Rouge are great choices
  • 2 dashes Angostura bitters
  • Ice
  • Luxardo cherry or high-quality cocktail cherry for garnish
  • Optional 1 dash orange bitters for added depth

Method
 

  1. Chill your glass — Set your coupe or Nick & Nora glass in the freezer or fill it with ice water while you prepare the drink.
  2. Measure and combine — Pour 2 oz rye whiskey, 1 oz sweet vermouth, and 2 dashes of bitters into a mixing glass.
  3. Add ice and stir — Fill the mixing glass with ice and stir steadily for 20–30 seconds. You're aiming to chill and dilute, not aerate — clarity is key.
  4. Strain — Empty your chilled glass and strain the cocktail into it using a Hawthorne strainer.
  5. Garnish — Drop in a Luxardo cherry or skewer it elegantly. Expressing a twist of orange over the glass is optional, but lovely.