Manhattan Cocktail

The stiff, smooth union of whiskey and vermouth is a classic of the cocktail canon.

By
The Serious Eats Team
The Serious Eats Team
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Updated March 16, 2024
Two Manhattans in stemmed cocktail glasses on a wooden surface

Serious Eats / Two Bites

Why It Works

  • Stirring the Manhattan chills the cocktail without diluting it.
  • Pre-chilling the glasses helps keep the Manhattan cold.

Up there with the Old Fashioned and the martini as an undisputed classic, a Manhattan is a bold, brawny drink that, when made right, is smooth and sippable. Rye, sweet vermouth, and bitters are all you need, though garnishing with a cherry doesn't hurt.

January 2008

Recipe Details

Manhattan Cocktail Recipe

Prep 5 mins
Total 5 mins
Serves 2 servings

Ingredients

  • 4 ounces rye whiskey

  • 2 ounces sweet vermouth

  • 4 dashes Angostura bitters

  • Garnish: 2 Maraschino cherries

Directions

  1. Pour the whiskey, sweet vermouth, and bitters into a mixing glass or shaker filled with ice. Stir until outside of mixing glass is very cold to touch.

    Hand stirring Manhattan in a metal shaker with ice

    Serious Eats / Two Bites

  2. Place a maraschino cherry in each of two chilled cocktail glasses. Dividing evenly, strain the contents of the mixing glass over cherries and serve immediately.

    Collage of hand placing cherries into chilled cocktail glasses and closeup of straining Manhattan into a glass

    Serious Eats / Two Bites

Special Equipment

Mixing glass or shaker, bar spoon, cocktail strainer

Read More

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
188Calories
0gFat
6gCarbs
0gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2
Amount per serving
Calories188
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g0%
Saturated Fat 0g0%
Cholesterol 0mg0%
Sodium 3mg0%
Total Carbohydrate 6g2%
Dietary Fiber 0g1%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 1mg3%
Calcium 5mg0%
Iron 0mg1%
Potassium 47mg1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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