The Manhattan

Mark's comment about dry vs. sweet vermouth over on the martini post reminded me of this classic cocktail, the Manhattan. It is the first drink to ever incorporate Vermouth as a modifier, but it uses sweet, not dry Vermouth. Of course, like the martini, the Manhattan has as many variations as there are drinkers, so if you were making a "Perfect Manhattan" you would use both dry and sweet Vermouth.

Contrary to its name, the "Perfect Manhattan" is not dubbed for being the most original. A "perfect" cocktail is one that uses both sweet and dry Vermouth in equal parts. So for those wishing to try out what I will boldly dub a "pure" rendition of the drink before tailoring to their own tastes try out the recipe below.

Often said to use Canadian whiskey, I side with rye whiskey. You will likely only find a couple options at local retailers that are strictly rye whiskey, so a Canadian or Bourbon is fine. You also may not have bitters on hand, so pick up some Angostura. They'll likely serve your bar stocking best - oh, and this recipe sets you up nicely for another classic: the Old Fashioned.

The Manhattan

(1 drink)

2 oz rye whiskey

1/2 oz sweet Vermouth

2-3 dashes Angostura bitters

1 maraschino cherry (garnish)

ice

chilled glass

1) Fill a shaker/glass half full of ice cubes.

2) Add all liquid to the glass and stir well.

3) Strain into a chilled glass and garnish with the cherry.