Classic Manhattan Cocktail: Rye Whiskey, Sweet Vermouth and Bitters for Crisp Fall Nights

Chill a coupe or martini glass by filling it with ice and water while you build the drink.

Serves 1

Ingredients

• 2 oz (60ml) rye whiskey
• 1 oz (30ml) sweet vermouth
• 2 dashes Angostura bitters
• 1/2 oz (15ml) dry vermouth, optional, to make it a Perfect Manhattan
• 1 dash orange bitters, optional
• 1 brandied or maraschino cherry, for garnish
• 1 strip orange peel, optional
• Ice cubes, for stirring

Instructions

1. Chill a coupe or martini glass by filling it with ice and water while you build the drink.
2. Fill a mixing glass two-thirds full with ice cubes. Pour in the rye, sweet vermouth and both bitters.
3. Stir with a bar spoon for 25 to 30 seconds until the outside of the mixing glass is frosty and the drink is properly diluted. Never shake a Manhattan; it should be silky, not cloudy.
4. Empty the ice water from the chilled glass and strain the cocktail into it.
5. Drop in the cherry. If you like, express the orange peel over the surface for a burst of citrus oil and discard or drop it in.
6. Serve immediately. For a drier Perfect Manhattan, split the vermouth half sweet and half dry.
7. The Manhattan dates to the 1870s and is usually credited to the Manhattan Club in New York City, which makes it one of the oldest cocktails still made the same way today. Rye gives it the spicy backbone the original called for, and sweet vermouth rounds it into something warm and wintry. As the October nights draw in, it is the drink to sip slowly by the fire.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

• Calories: 190 kcal
• Protein: 0g
• Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 6g
• Fiber: 0g
• Sugar: 5g
• Sodium: 5mg