A classic! The Manhattan was an instant hit after its conception in the late 1800s. It was enjoyed by many a socialite in New York's Manhattan Club, where the cocktail takes its name from. It made an iconic appearance in the 1959 film Some Like It Hot when Marilyn Monroe's character, Sugar Kane, uses a hot water bottle as an impromptu cocktail shaker to make the drink. Today, The Manhattan is enjoyed by many cocktail lovers across the globe. This best-loved drink combines rye whiskey with sweet vermouth and Angostura bitters to create this classy concoction. Sweet, spicy, and vibrant, The Manhattan is everything you could ever want in a cocktail!

The Manhattan Ingredients

60ml rye whiskey 20ml sweet vermouth 2 dashes Angostura bitters Cubed ice Maraschino cherry to garnish

The Manhattan Recipe

  1. Pour the rye, sweet vermouth, and Angostura bitters into a mixing glass filled with ice.
  2. Stir well.
  3. Strain the liquid into a chilled coupe glass.
  4. Add the Maraschino cherry to garnish.
  5. Enjoy!
While we recommend using rye in a Manhattan, you can technically use any whisky in your Manhattan. If you use Scotch whisky, you're actually turning your Manhattan into a Rob Roy - a fabulous Scottish take on the drink! However, without rye whiskey you would be forfeiting The Manhattan's wonderful signature spicy taste. Our top picks for rye whiskeys to use in a Manhattan are Rabbit Hole Boxergrail Kentucky Straight Rye, High West Whiskey Rendezvous Rye, and WhistlePig 15 Year Old. Each of these whiskeys fabulously balance sweet and spicy flavours that will allow you to create complex and elegant Manhattans.