Manhattan

A classic Manhattan is made with rye whiskey (or bourbon), sweet Italian vermouth, and Angostura bitters, stirred with ice and strained into a chilled cocktail glass. The standard ratio is 2:1 whiskey to sweet vermouth with 2 dashes of Angostura bitters. Rye whiskey is preferred in the original recipe for its spice and dryness, which balances the sweetness of the vermouth.

The Manhattan is believed to have originated in New York City in the 1870s, with the most common attribution pointing to the Manhattan Club. One popular story claims it was invented for a banquet hosted by Lady Randolph Churchill (Winston Churchill's American mother) in the 1870s, though historians consider this account unreliable. Documented recipes for the Manhattan appear in cocktail literature from the 1880s, confirming its late 19th-century New York origins as one of America's first great cocktails.

A Manhattan has an ABV of approximately 28–33%, reflecting its composition of high-proof whiskey and sweet vermouth with minimal dilution from stirring. It is traditionally garnished with a Maraschino cherry, which provides a sweet counterpoint to the spiced, bitter drink. A Perfect Manhattan substitutes half the sweet vermouth with dry vermouth for a drier, more complex result.