Most people today understand a Manhattan to be bourbon whiskey with a dash of vermouth, shaken or stirred—little more than a nice way to order a big shot of whiskey. Only recently have people once again acknowledged the necessity of bitters in the recipe. What happened? Prohibition all but annihilated rye whiskey production in this country; by the end of World War II, America had embraced Canadian whiskies as rye, even though most are made of a blend of grains. When we first began bartending, it was common for Manhattans to be made with Seagram’s VO or Crown Royal. But in the early 1990s, bartenders making Manhattans gravitated toward newly released single-barrel and small-batch bourbons to meet the expectations of the luxury crowd. As with Martinis, these customers demanded only a whisper of vermouth so as not to destroy the precious whiskey. Our recipe is an excellent expression of a Manhattan made with soft-natured bourbon. Rye whiskey makes a sharp, racy alternative. As for cherries, keep clear of the big artificial ones floating in eerie red dye. Pit fresh cherries and soak them for a few days in amaretto or cherry liqueur instead.

　　

Ingredients

makes 1 drink

　　3 ounces Woodford Reserve 90-proof bourbon

　　1 1/2 ounces Dolin Rouge sweet vermouth

　　3 dashes Angostura bitters

　　3 brandied cherries, for garnish

　　

Step 1

Pour the bourbon, vermouth, and bitters into a mixing glass. Add large cold ice cubes and stir for 40 revolutions. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with the cherries.

　　

tasting notes

Step 2

Dominant Flavors: bourbon all over

　　

Step 3

Body: full, with high alcohol content

　　

Step 4

Dryness: dry

　　

Step 5

Complexity: low to medium

　　

Step 6

Accentuating or Contrasting Flavors: bitters working well with botanicals from sweet vermouth

　　

Step 7

Finish: short, dry with sweet corn and slight vanilla overtones

　　

Step 8

Glass: cocktail

　　Reprinted with permission from Speakeasy: The Employees Only Guide to Classic Cocktails Reimagined by Jason Kosmas and Dushan Zaric, © 2010 Ten Speed Press. Buy the full book from Amazon or Bookshop.