Travel may be a little tricky these days, but you can still traverse the globe with these delicious drink recipes to try at home.
Today's cocktail hails from the USA – Manhattan.
What is it?
Complex, elegant and timeless, the Manhattan is quite simply one of the world’s great cocktails. A finely crafted version goes down smoothly and lingers on the palate. This is one to savor.
Origins
One often-told story pinpoints the birthplace of this cocktail at the Manhattan Club of New York City in the 1870s. But one bartender of the time claimed the drink was created back in the 1860s by a Broadway bartender named Black. Whatever the truth, by 1900, the drink was a smash hit and today it remains an icon – one of the classics that every bartender worth his or her salt knows how to make.
You'll need (Serves 1)
orange peel
2fl oz (60ml) rye whiskey
1fl oz (30ml) sweet vermouth
2 dashes of Angostura bitters
ice
maraschino cherry
Method
Step 1: Rub the orange peel around the rim of a chilled v-shaped cocktail glass.
Step 2: Put the rye, vermouth and bitters into a cocktail shaker.
Step 3: Add ice and stir (don’t shake).
Step 4: Pour mixture through a strainer into the glass.
Step 5: Add maraschino cherry. Enjoy!
Tasting notes
The ingredients seem deceptively simple: vermouth, bitters and rye whiskey (some use bourbon), but when properly constructed, the Manhattan is a finely balanced work of art. The bold and rich rye harmonises with the sweetness of vermouth and the sharp zing of bitters, making every sip a near transcendent experience – particularly when imbibed in a cocktail lounge in New York City.
There’s old-time jazz playing, a garrulous crowd lit by flickering candles, and a dexterous barkeep mixing up amber-hued cocktails behind a mahogany bar. The vibe, like the cocktail, is pure Manhattan: classy and seductive, with a dash of nostalgia. It’s the start of a night that holds limitless possibilities.
Other recipes:
Kalimotxo
Espresso Martini
Anijsmelk
This article was originally published in April 2020 and updated in October 2020.
