What's in a Manhattan?

(A damn fine looking Manhattan,)

The Manhattan has been finding its way back into the mainstream for a good while, now. I first heard of the drink almost ten years ago, before I started bartending, or even really drinking. I was nineteen, and frequently read askmen.com for advice on... everything. One thing that the website did that I was quite interested in, was write blog article about identity. As a young adult, finding their adult identity, the intrigue is obvious.

See Also: Suntory to purchase Beam

One such article, suggested that every man should have their own signature drink - I've expanded on this concept in a few ways, and I frequently tell people that I believe all adults can benefit from being able to talk about their favourite wine, beer and spirit; until recently, though, I prioritized cocktails as an end product over their spirit roots. After reading the article, and soaking in its suggestions for manly cocktails, I decided then and there that the Manhattan would be my drink. I didn't try my first Manhattan, though, until three years later, at twenty two. At the time, I didn't like it. Possibly because I didn't know how to approach a stiff drink.

(A Maker's Mark Manhattan, on the rocks.)

Fast forwarding to the current day, the Manhattan is my favourite whiskey cocktail, and definitely my most reliable mainstay. I've learned a lot about Manhattans. For example, I learned that it matter what kind of whiskey you use. Personally, I'm more partial to bourbon over rye, and as such Jim Beam is a good go-to cheaper option. Maker's Mark and Knob Creek are obvious favourites as well, though. And a REALLY good Manhattan can be had from the likes of Jack Daniels. If I were to appear Canadian, though - and I'm often told I am indeed Canadian - Crown Royal rye whiskey is a safe bet.

See Also: The Spanish Harlem at Espania

But whiskey is just the main part of the Manhattan. Where do you go from there?

(A Jack Daniels Manhattan. One of the finer varieties, if I do say so myself.)

Well I suppose the next best bet is to think about sweet vermouth. Martini Rosso is the obvious common choice, but I would definitely suggest using Stock - whose product is not much pricier, but noticeably better. In terms of higher priced vermouth, I could never make a recommendation in honesty.

Bitters are also quite important to the Manhattan. I prefer a dash or two of Angostura, but orange bitters can work quite well, too. As for which of these products work better for a Manhattan, I believe depends heavily on what kind of garnish you choose (which I'll get more into, later). Though, I find these two flavours of bitters are preferable, I would also recommend experimenting with more obscure flavours. Root beer bitters work quite nicely too, for example.

See Also: Classic cocktails: The Metropolitan

So I did mention above, that I like to pair bitters up differently depending on garnish. The traditional way of garnishing a Manhattan required a maraschino cherry or two, but again, old school cocktail revivals come with change, and as such an orange zest goes quite well too. Personally, I quite like angostura bitters, and I know they mix well with cherries. And well, just about everything else. As for orange bitters, I find it goes quite well with orange peels, and really developed a nice orange aroma on top of the Manhattan.

(This is not a Manhattan, but it looks like one!)

But there have been more changes to the Manhattan of late. Manhattan's got their start from the rat pack, who drank them on the rocks, and as such in a rocks glass. Like a lot of things though, its been transferred to the martini glass, perhaps because its seen as a whiskey variant to the Martini, and sweet (although, I've heard dry vermouth works well too...) my personal preference is... Well it actually changes up. Sometimes I like it on the rocks, sometimes like a Martini. I'm not really sure why I would choose one over the other, but as with many things, the glass does make a difference.