🥃 Manhattan

The Manhattan is a classic American cocktail of rye whiskey, sweet red vermouth and aromatic bitters, stirred with ice and served chilled in a cocktail glass. The International Bartenders Association (IBA) lists it in its "The Unforgettables" category: 50 ml of rye whiskey, 20 ml of red vermouth, a dash of Angostura bitters and a cocktail cherry.

First mentions. In 1882 several American newspapers described a fashionable mix of whiskey, vermouth and bitters, called the Manhattan, Turf Club or Jockey Club cocktail. Difford's Guide cites a "New York Letter" column in The Olean Democrat of 5 September. The first full recipe was printed in 1884 by O. H. Byron in "The Modern Bartenders' Guide".

Where the name comes from. A popular legend links the cocktail to an 1874 banquet at the Manhattan Club in New York, but according to Difford's Guide and the research of the historian David Wondrich, this is not confirmed. The most convincing version there names George Black, who ran the Manhattan Inn bar on Broadway and could have named the drink after it. The exact originator is unknown.

Ingredients. Rye is considered the classic base: rye whiskey gives a drier and spicier taste, while as early as 1883 a Boston newspaper described a Manhattan made with bourbon. Red vermouth is an aromatised wine with herbs, so the cocktail combines whiskey with winemaking tradition, and the bitters add a spicy edge.

Why it matters to you. A Manhattan consists almost entirely of alcohol: 50 ml of whiskey and 20 ml of vermouth with no juice or water apart from the melted ice, which is more than one standard drink. Do not drive after a cocktail. The WHO reminds us that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.