Manhattan

This classic whiskey cocktail has always had an Empire State of Mind.

The Manhattan – Whiskey, Sweet Vermouth, and bitters. It doesn’t get much tastier or simpler than that. Born from 1870s Manhattan, New York, this cocktail has stood the test of time and remains a favorite of bartenders and drinkers alike. Too bad we have no idea who to credit or thank for this cocktail creation.

Similar to other drinks of the time, there aren’t exactly clear records of who, how, where, or when the Manhattan was made. But of course, there are plenty of tall tales that would state otherwise. One such story claims that a bartender named Black who worked at a bar on Broadway was the inventor of the cocktail for no particular reason. Another more popular option is that the drink emerged at the Manhattan Club during a banquet for Samuel J. Tilden, a presidential candidate. Bartender Iain Marshall threw the drink together for Jennie Jerome aka Lady Randolph Churchill aka Winston Churchill’s mother. Murky history aside, the modern recipe for this cocktail is still the same today as it was in the 1800s. There were just a few, small hiccups along the way.

Originally, the Manhattan was mixed using bourbon whiskey as its base, but Prohibition put quite the wrench in that plan. During those dark days, Canadian rye whiskey was easier to come by than bourbon, so this bourbon cocktail slowly involved into a rye whiskey one. Although a Scotch-laced variation named the Rob Roy had already become popular on its own, the rye variation didn’t claim a new or different name of its own.

So is the Manhattan a bourbon cocktail or a rye cocktail? The answer is – It’s whatever you want it to be. You can build the cocktail using either spirit as your base, as long as you keep the beautiful 2-1 ratio of whiskey to sweet vermouth. Of course, if you’d rather go crazy with your ratios or ingredients you can try one of the thousands of Manhattan variations including the Fanciulli Manhattan, Revolver, Greenpoint, Waldorf, Red Hook, Jane Russell, or Monte Carlo.

Whether you serve it up or on the rocks, use rye or bourbon, this classic empire-creating cocktail from the Empire State is delicious in any form.