Specification
| Rye whiskey | 60 ml |
| Sweet vermouth | 30 ml |
| Angostura bitters | 2 dashes |
| Brandied cherry | 1 |
Method
- 01Combine everything in a mixing glass over ice.
- 02Stir 25–30 seconds until the tin frosts.
- 03Strain into a chilled coupe.
- 04Drop in one good cherry — not the neon kind.
Where it comes from
Born in New York in the 1880s, the Manhattan proved American whiskey could be mixed rather than merely poured. Rye's pepper is what stops the vermouth turning the glass into dessert.
If you change one thing: Rye at 45–50% ABV holds its shape against vermouth. A softer bourbon needs the vermouth pulled back to about 22 ml.