How to Make A Classic Manhattan Cocktail

Feel like a member of the Rat Pack by at least sipping on Sinatra and gang's favorite cocktail, the Manhattan, a drink made from mixing whiskey, sweet vermouth, bitters and ice. Born in the Manhattan Club in New York City in the late 19th century, the Manhattan cocktail has come to represent class, sophistication and trendiness in a glass. Below you will find a Manhattan recipe. Drink up and find out why the Manhattan is often referred to as the "king of cocktails."

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Whiskey
• Sweet vermouth
• Bitters
• Ice
• Cherry
• Cocktail glass
• Cocktail shaker

1. Combine the following ingredients in a cocktail shaker: 2 1/2 ounces whiskey, 1/2 ounce sweet vermouth, 1 dash bitters, and ice cubes for the chill. Shake well.

2. 

   Chill a stemmed cocktail glass, and then place one cherry at the bottom of the glass for garnish.

3. Strain the Manhattan cocktail (in the shaker) into the glass. No ice in this Manhattan recipe.

4. You can choose to use equal parts sweet vermouth (or red vermouth) and dry vermouth (white vermouth) to create a "Perfect Manhattan."

5. Other ways of varying the taste of your Manhattan cocktail: add a dash of cherry syrup, or cut out a lemon or orange twist and rub it around the rim of the cocktail glass to release the flavor.

Tips & Warnings

• Play with the ratio of whiskey to vermouth for a different tasting Manhattan. Vermouth is an aromatic modifier that can give off different tastes of sweet and bitter depending on the type (red or white) and the brand.
• Different Manhattan cocktail recipes call for different types of whiskey: rye whiskey, Canadian whiskey, bourbon whiskey, you get the point. I would suggest starting with rye whiskey. It's traditional, and the type most enjoy in their Manhattans.