The Manhattan recipe
for your table
Fill a mixing glass with ice and add whiskey, vermouth and bitters.
Stir gently for 30 seconds until the drink is ice-cold.
Strain into a chilled Nick & Nora or coupe glass.
Drop a cocktail cherry into the glass; that last bite is for those who enjoy it.
What did you think of this recipe?
One click on a star is enough. If you would like to add something, we will read it first before it appears here.
Save this recipe
Send the Manhattan recipe to your own email, so you have it at hand when you are about to make it. You will also receive a € 5 discount code when spending € 50 or more, for the glasses that go with it.
The story
The most persistent story places the Manhattan's birth at the Manhattan Club in New York, around 1880, during a banquet supposedly organized by Jennie Churchill, Winston Churchill's mother. Historians doubt this, but the name and the city are right at least: this is the cocktail of New York's Gilded Age. The Manhattan survived Prohibition, the vodka years and every trend since. Bartenders call it the test of any good bar for a reason: with only three ingredients, there is nowhere to hide.
The right glass
The Manhattan is served 'straight up', meaning without ice, so it calls for a stemmed glass. A Nick & Nora glass, the elegant, bell-shaped sibling of the martini glass, is now a favorite among bartenders: thanks to its inward-curving rim, you are less likely to spill and the aromas linger beautifully. A size of 14 to 16 cl is ideal, so the cocktail stays cold until the last sip. If you prefer to serve it in a coupe, choose from our champagne coupe glasses.
Onis Bespoke Cocktail Glass 15.5 cl Nick & Nora (6 pieces)
Luigi Bormioli Mixology Cocktail Glass 15 cl Nick & Nora (6 pieces)
Both sets together € 66,90.
The right tools
For a Manhattan, besides the glass, you use a mixing glass, a bar spoon for stirring, a jigger for precise measuring, a Julep strainer and a bitters bottle. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you can find them all in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Glassware set (our choice 01) + 5 bar tools together € 111,70.
Variations & twists
A Dry Manhattan uses dry vermouth and a lemon zest, while a Perfect Manhattan uses equal parts sweet and dry vermouth. With scotch, it is called a Rob Roy; with cognac, a Harvard. Also try a smoked version: leave it in a smoking decanter for a few minutes and the glass turns into an evening by the fireplace. From the same family come the Martinez with gin, the Vieux Carré with rye and cognac, and the Remember the Maine with cherry liqueur and a hint of absinthe. Looking for more inspiration? Browse more than 100 cocktail recipes.
Serving tip
Use Amarena cherries instead of bright red cocktail cherries and add a few drops of the cherry syrup. This gives the Manhattan a subtle, dark sweetness.
Good to know
The 5-to-2 ratio explained
Five centiliters of rye whiskey to 2 cl of sweet vermouth, or two and a half to one, plus two dashes of Angostura. That ratio is more modern than the original, which often used two to one or even equal parts and was therefore noticeably sweeter. If you want a fuller Manhattan, use 4.5 cl whiskey to 2.5 cl vermouth; for a drier version, use 5.5 to 1.5. The two dashes of bitters may seem negligible, but they bring everything together. Stir for 30 seconds over ice, because a Manhattan should reach about 25 percent dilution.
How strong is a Manhattan
This classic comes out at about 28 percent ABV in the glass, making it one of the stronger cocktails. The 5 cl of 45 percent rye provides 2.25 cl of pure alcohol, and the 2 cl of 16 percent vermouth adds a little more. After 30 seconds of stirring, you have a glass of about 9 cl containing just over 2.5 cl of pure alcohol - in other words, two standard drinks. There is no ice in the glass, so it does not dilute further as you drink it. Take your time and stick to one or two.
Manhattan or Old Fashioned
Both are stirred whiskey cocktails with bitters, and that is where the resemblance ends. The Manhattan uses 2 cl of sweet vermouth for sweetness and depth and is served without ice in a stemmed glass. The Old Fashioned uses sugar instead of vermouth, remains over a large ice cube in a tumbler, and gets an orange zest garnish. As a result, the Manhattan is more complex and wine-like, while the Old Fashioned is purer and more focused on the whiskey itself. The Rob Roy is the third member of the family: the same structure, but with Scotch.
Rye or bourbon: what should you choose
Rye is the traditional choice and gives the Manhattan its spicy, peppery backbone, which nicely balances the sweetness of the vermouth. Bourbon contains at least 51 percent corn and makes it rounder, sweeter, and more approachable, which can be appealing if you use slightly less vermouth. Choose a bottle with at least 45 percent ABV, because at 40 percent the whiskey fades too far into the background after stirring. Scotch makes a Rob Roy, while cognac makes a Harvard. An opened bottle of vermouth stays good for about a month when kept chilled.
Choosing and storing vermouth
Every Manhattan cocktail recipe includes sweet vermouth, and that is immediately the ingredient most likely to cause problems. Vermouth is aromatized wine, not a spirit, so a bottle left open at room temperature for weeks will become flat and sour. Buy a small bottle, refrigerate it after opening, and give it a quick smell before pouring. An Italian rosso such as Carpano Antica Formula or Cocchi di Torino brings plenty of vanilla and spice, while a lighter Martini Rosso makes the Manhattan more approachable and less heavy.
Black Manhattan and other variations
A whole family has emerged around the Manhattan cocktail. In a Black Manhattan, you replace the 2 cl of sweet vermouth with the same amount of amaro, usually Averna: the drink becomes darker, more bitter, and spicier, while the structure and method remain the same. If you want to taste several Manhattan cocktails side by side, use the same whiskey and change only the sweet component; that way you can taste exactly where the difference comes from. Use fresh ice in the mixing glass for each drink, otherwise the second round will be watery.
Frequently asked questions
What is in a Manhattan cocktail?
A Manhattan consists of 5 cl rye whiskey or bourbon, 2 cl sweet red vermouth, and two dashes of Angostura bitters, stirred with plenty of ice and finished with a cocktail cherry. Three ingredients and a garnish: that is precisely why this is the cocktail by which bartenders measure one another.
What is the right ratio for a Manhattan?
Two and a half parts whiskey to one part sweet vermouth, or 5 cl to 2 cl. Older recipes used equal parts; the drier modern version has now become standard. Stir for thirty seconds with plenty of ice to achieve exactly the right dilution and temperature.
Should you use rye or bourbon for a Manhattan?
Rye is the classic choice and makes it spicy and dry; bourbon gives sweeter vanilla and caramel notes. Both are good, so choose based on taste. An expensive bottle is not necessary; a good mid-range whiskey mixes best. Serve it without ice in a stemmed glass; see our Nick & Nora glasses.
What is the difference between a Manhattan and an Old Fashioned?
A Manhattan contains sweet vermouth, while an Old Fashioned does not: it consists of whiskey, sugar, and bitters. A Manhattan is served up without ice in a stemmed glass, while an Old Fashioned is served over one large ice cube in a low glass. Same foundation, two completely different cocktails.
Everything for your bar,
to one address
Glasses in hospitality quality, delivered by the set. Order today, delivered quickly.
Shop the glasses →