It’s amazing that with a name of “Cocktail-a-Day” how few real cocktails we put on the website. Today we got a real cocktail for you, the Manhattan. It’s been referred to as the king of cocktails, a drinking man’s cocktail. To put it simply, this drink is good. The one pictured I had made with Jim Beam, but thats because it’s my favorite whiskey. In my opinion the drink tastes better than whiskey straight, but people would debate this. Made with whiskey and sweet vermouth and garnished with a cherry, it’s a good drink.
By law, to be called Bourbon, whiskey must be made with at least 51% corn, aged in oak barrels, and made in the United States. Tennessee whiskeys like Jack Daniels differ slightly from Bourbons in the fact that they are filtered through maple charcoal before they are aged. This filtering gives it a slightly different taste. The fact is, all whiskeys are different. If you don’t like one, try another. My brother is a huge fan of the Canadian whiskey, while I am a fan of the bourbon whiskey. Get out there and try different whiskeys, and find the one you like.
How to make a Manhattan:
- 3 parts whiskey
- 1 part Sweet Vermouth
- Dash of bitters.
Shake the drink and put into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a cherry.
In the past two years, a handful of new top notch rye whiskeys have been brought to market. Let me tell you, they make a killer Manhattan too. The Thomas Handy Rye from Buffalo Trace’s Antique Collection 2007 does wonders. A little pricy, but worth it for the special occasion cocktail
Also, in terms of recipe, give a pre-Prohibition Manhattan a try sometime. In his new book “Imbibe”, Dave Wondrich suggests adding up to a tsp of maraschino cherry liquor and a lemon twist. It’s adds a new twist to the tried and true modern Manhattan.
-LB
The Maraschino Cherry Liquor and Lemon twist sound really interesting. We’re going to have to try that.
Do you think the Manhattan is making a comeback? I have seen more people ordering them lately. This version looks great…Julie for WOW!