Two parts rye whiskey, one part sweet vermouth, and a couple dashes of bitters. Stirred, not shaken, garnished with a maraschino cherry. That's all you need for a timeless classic manhattan cocktail!

Okay. I'm going to be honest here. A solid old fashioned used to be my go-to mixed beverage of choice. THEN i discovered the classic manhattan cocktail. No simple syrup or sweetener that winds up sinking to the bottom of the glass, and only three ingredients! THREE! Plus a maraschino cherry if you have one. Hands down my new favorite.
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What You'll Need
Like I said, just three ingredients!
- Skip the bourbon and grab your favorite rye whiskey. It's less sweet (this is important) with a slightly spicier flavor than bourbon . Not sure which one you like best? I prefer to use Bulleit Rye Whiskey.
- Sweet vermouth. Aha! There's the sweetness! While it adds richness and a little bit of spice to a classic manhattan cocktail, it's also lighter than simple syrup. It won't sink to the bottom of your glass!
- The tiniest bit of aromatic bitters. Just a couple dashes will do!
- An optional garnish: a maraschino cherry! I like to use Bada Bing Cherries but whatever you prefer.

The Perfect Ratio
The general rule of thumb is to use a 2:1 ratio of whiskey to vermouth. This means that for every two parts rye whiskey, you'll add one part sweet vermouth. However, I actually prefer mine on the drier side with a touch more whiskey flavor. Sometimes I'll do 2 ounces plus a teensy bit more rye whiskey and ¾ of an ounce of sweet vermouth. Experiment with the amounts (a little bit at a time) to find your perfect ratio!

Tips and Tricks
First, contrary to James Bond's preferred way of ordering a drink, STIR don't shake. If you shake spirit-centric cocktail, it could end up cloudy, thus ruining the "crystalline aesthetic". Side note, I don't know what Bond's deal is with a shaken martini. So strange and apparently incorrect but to each their own 🤷🏼♀️.
Second, for a little extra flavor, take the rind of an orange and spritz the edge of the cocktail glass with it, just like Blake Lively's character Emily does in A Simple Favor with a lemon rind over her martini. Then plop the rind in the glass for even more extra yums!

FAQs About This Recipe
You can, it'll just have a sweeter, vanilla oak flavor. To compensate, you may want to lessen the amount of sweet vermouth and add another dash or two of bitters.
Of course! It's just not traditional as the ice will dilute the drink as it melts. Up to you!
Sure! Experiment all you like. I would suggest orange bitters, cardamom bitters, or even a spiced cherry bitters.
Got a question I didn't answer? Drop me a line in the comments below!


Classic Manhattan Cocktail
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: Serves 1
Description
Two parts rye whiskey, one part sweet vermouth, and a couple dashes of bitters. Stirred, not shaken, garnished with a maraschino cherry. That's all you need to mix up the timeless classic manhattan cocktail!
Ingredients
- 2 ounces rye whiskey
- 1 ounce sweet vermouth
- 2 dashes aromatic bitters
- Maraschino cherry or brandied cherry for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker with ice, stir together whiskey, vermouth and bitters.
- Strain mixture into a coupe glass (or favorite sipping glass). Garnish with a maraschino cherry and enjoy!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
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