Manhattan (cocktail)

Manhattan (cocktail)
source
Name	Manhattan
Type	cocktail
Served	straight
Garnish	cherry
Drinkware	cocktail glass

Manhattan (cocktail) is a classic mixed drink traditionally made with whiskey, sweet vermouth, and bitters, stirred with ice and served up in a cocktail glass with a cherry garnish. Origin stories tie the drink to 19th-century New York City and social circles connected to political, journalistic, and theatrical figures. The Manhattan has influenced bartending practices worldwide and appears in literature, film, and advertising linked to numerous cultural institutions.

History

Accounts of the Manhattan's origin point to 19th-century New York City and associations with locales such as Manhattan clubs, New York City newspapers, and prominent venues frequented by figures like Samuel J. Tilden and socialites of the Gilded Age. Variants of the cocktail emerged alongside developments in American distilling involving producers such as Jack Daniel's, Buffalo Trace, and Maker's Mark, and parallel evolutions in European vermouth producers like Martini & Rossi, Noilly Prat, and Carpano Antica Formula. The cocktail's spread coincided with the rise of hospitality institutions including Delmonico's Restaurant, Savoy Hotel, and bartenders associated with establishments like Pimm's-linked houses. Prohibition-era adjustments involved clandestine bars tied to figures in the Roaring Twenties and adaptations by bartenders referenced in works by authors such as Edith Wharton, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Ernest Hemingway, while postwar revivalism connected the Manhattan to cocktail books by Harry Craddock, David Embury, and modern mixologists at venues like Milk & Honey and Death & Co.

Ingredients and Variations

The canonical Manhattan combines rye or bourbon whiskey with sweet vermouth and aromatic bitters, often attributed to brands like Bulleit, Old Forester, Rittenhouse Rye, Dewar's, and vermouths from Cocchi or Dolin. Common bitters include products associated with Angostura and creations by bartenders at Smorgasburg-linked pop-ups and craft producers such as Bittersweet. Variants proliferate: the Rob Roy substitutes Scotch associated with producers like Johnnie Walker and Glenfiddich; the Perfect Manhattan splits sweet and dry vermouths from houses like Pernod Ricard; the Black Manhattan uses amaro from makers such as Averna or Amaro Montenegro; the Metropolitan highlights brandies like Rémy Martin or Hennessy; the Dry Manhattan replaces sweet vermouth with dry vermouth typical of Noilly Prat. Contemporary reinterpretations incorporate liqueurs from Campari, barrel-aged techniques practiced by distillers like Woodford Reserve, and local craft spirits from distilleries such as St. George Spirits and High West.

Preparation

Traditional preparation emphasizes stirring, chilling, and dilution techniques discussed in bartending texts by Jerry Thomas, Harold McGee, and Dale DeGroff. The standard method mixes two parts whiskey to one part sweet vermouth with a dash of aromatic bitters, stirred with ice in a mixing glass produced by makers like Spiegelau or Riedel, then strained into a chilled cocktail glass associated with glassware firms such as Libbey. Modern techniques include barrel-aging in cooperages affiliated with Speyside Cooperage practices, smoking methods promoted at bars like The Aviary, and molecular adaptations referenced by chefs from Noma and El Bulli-influenced kitchens. Equipment commonly used includes jiggers by OXO, bar spoons from Sabatier-linked suppliers, and Hawthorne strainers made by established toolmakers.

Serving and Presentation

The Manhattan is traditionally served "up" in a stemmed cocktail glass or coupe, garnished with a maraschino or Luxardo cherry linked to producers such as Luxardo or Amarena. Presentation variations appear in crystal stems by Waterford or modern coupes from Iittala, and plaques of citrus peel popularized by chefs from Per Se and The French Laundry. Ice treatment—large spheres crafted by manufacturers used at bars like The Dead Rabbit—and glass chilling techniques trace to service standards at institutions including The Plaza Hotel and The Waldorf Astoria. Modern bars may present the Manhattan with a brandied cherry linked to St. Germain and pairing suggestions referencing menus at restaurants like Jean-Georges and Le Bernardin.

Cultural Impact and Popularity

The Manhattan occupies a prominent place in popular culture, appearing in films directed by Woody Allen, thrillers by Alfred Hitchcock, and television series such as Mad Men, where creators and actors from AMC and Matthew Weiner contributed to a renewed interest in classic cocktails. The drink is mentioned in novels by Charles Bukowski, Truman Capote, and Ian Fleming (whose character James Bond popularized other mixed drinks), and it features in music by artists like Frank Sinatra, Billy Joel, and Ella Fitzgerald. Industry recognition spans competitions organized by bodies such as the International Bartenders Association and awards from institutions like the James Beard Foundation. Its presence in hospitality curricula at schools like Culinary Institute of America and professional programs at Le Cordon Bleu reflects sustained academic and commercial relevance, while tourism to New York institutions—The Algonquin Hotel, 21 Club, and cocktail bars on Bleecker Street—continues to reference the Manhattan as an emblematic offering.

Category:Cocktails