co*cktail Recipe: Perfect Manhattan (2024)

FAQs

What is a perfect Manhattan made of? ›

The Dry Manhattan used dry vermouth instead of sweet. The Medium Manhattan was the original Perfect Manhattan, made with four parts whiskey and one part each dry and sweet vermouth.

The perfect Manhattan is indeed a great co*cktail, though the name doesn't refer to its perfection. Instead, it adds dry vermouth to the classic Manhattan's trio of whiskey, sweet vermouth, and bitters.

A subcategory of the Manhattan is the Perfect Manhattan—that is, 2 parts whiskey, 1 part equally divided sweet and dry vermouth, and bitters.

Spicy, peppery, lively rye whiskey is the foundational element of the drink, of the home bar, and of the co*cktail renaissance. 1 Manhattans should always be made with rye.

Ultimately, choosing either American Rye or Bourbon for your Manhattan is purely up to preference. Some believe that using a bourbon adds too much sweetness to their co*cktail, while others who choose bourbon use one similar to New Riff'sRiff's Kentucky Straight Bourbon as they are high in rye for flavor balance.

Both co*cktails call for whisky and Angostura bitters, but the defining factor lies in their sweetening agents. The Old Fashioned opts for straightforward sugar or syrup, helping to soften the whisky. In contrast the Manhattan favours a sweet vermouth – adding fruity and caramel flavours into the mix.

The general guideline is two parts whiskey to one part vermouth with two to three dashes of bitters. You can go up to three parts to one and add a couple more dashes, at your own risk, and no one will judge you ... too much.

They also have distinct tastes. A Manhattan tastes slightly of wine, thanks to the presence of the vermouth, and it's relatively bitter. On the other hand, an Old Fashioned is slightly sweeter, although bitterness still plays a major role.

The classic martini wouldn't be anything without a touch of dry vermouth, and your Manhattan would just be a bourbon on the rocks without sweet vermouth. For co*cktails like these, it's important to choose your vermouth replacement carefully. Dry vermouth is clear in color and adds a subtle bitterness to a co*cktail.

Drink Order: Manhattan

You have a touch of old-school charm, but a bit more courage than those who order an Old fashioned (the Manhattan's close cousin). This bourbon-based co*cktail – with its mix of whiskey, sweet vermouth, and bitters – reveals your appreciation for complex though balanced flavors.

What bourbon is best for a Manhattan? ›

The Best Bitters For Manhattan co*cktails

While 3 dashes of an ingredient may make you wonder how important it really is, bitters are a crucial component when it comes to making the best manhattan recipe. Bitters are a concentrated addition of herbs, spices, citrus, bitterness, and/or sweetness for co*cktails.

Instead of using the classic co*cktail shaker to blend the ingredients in a Manhattan, the drink should be stirred together using a spoon. Shaking or blending your co*cktail will dilute the drink and diminish the flavour of Manhattan, whereas using a spoon will gently blend the ingredients.

Never Shake, Always Stir

Spirits-centric drinks like the Manhattan and the Martini are stirred to add the proper chill and dilution from the ice, and also to keep to the drinks' crystalline aesthetic. (Who wants a cloudy Manhattan? Not even Manhattanites.)

2 parts whiskey. 1 part sweet vermouth. 1 to 2 dashes bitters, such as Angostura. Orange peel. Real Maraschino Cherries, recipe follows.

The term “perfect” means a drink made with equal parts sweet and dry vermouth—and is particularly, dare we say, perfect when applied to a Manhattan. The perfect Manhattan can be traced back to pre-Prohibition times, when drinks were crafted according to three distinct profiles: sweet, medium and dry.

But the Perfect Manhattan is in fact a separate, though closely related, drink; the “Perfect” in the drink's name refers not to a co*cktail made perfectly (though that is, of course, the aim) but rather to the use of two different styles of vermouth in “perfect”—which is to say, equal—proportions.

Manhattan, borough of New York City, coextensive with New York county, in southeastern New York state, U.S. The borough, mainly on Manhattan Island, spills over into the Marble Hill section on the mainland and includes a number of islets in the East River.