For James Bond, it was a vesper. For Don Draper, an old fashioned. For Carrie Bradshaw, a Cosmopolitan (along with every woman over 21 from 1998-2004). Every star needs a signature cocktail, so why not make yours the Classic Manhattan?
Photo: Leigh Loftus
One of the finest and oldest cocktails, the Manhattan is a true classic. It’s said to be the first cocktail that used vermouth as a modifier and as with the martini, there are a number of modifications to the drink that are for the most part, matter of preference. with a Martini, there are slight variations of the drink that are a matter of preference.
If you’ve stocked your bar cart with spirits, liqueurs and garnishes, this is one cocktail you can really have fun with. Use your favorite rye or bourbon, try flavored bitters, use a combination of both sweet and dry vermouth….sky is the limit. Garnish your drink with Luxardo Maraschino Cherries, all-natural whole pitted cherries, candied with Marasca syrup. They’re sweet with a rich and complex flavor that offers a nice alternative to the processed bright red Maraschino cherries that you probably put on your childhood ice cream sundaes.
- 2 parts whiskey (bourbon or rye)
- 1 part sweet vermouth
- 1 to 2 dashes bitters, such as Angostura
- Orange peel
- 1-2 Luxardo Maraschino Cherries
- Place ice in a cocktail shaker. Add the whiskey, vermouth and bitters. Rub an orange peel around the rim of the cocktail glass. Strain the drink into the glass and top with one or two Luxardo cherries.
