The following is an extended version of the article in our November 2020 issue.
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Legend has it the Manhattan cocktail was invented for Winston Churchill’s mother. But according to the late mixologist and author Gary Regan, the lore may be apocryphal and its actual origin may go as far back as the 1860s to a small bar on Broadway.
Wherever it came from, the Manhattan is one of the simplest true cocktails: 2 parts whiskey, 1 part sweet (rosso) vermouth, a few dashes Angostura bitters. Stir, strain, up. Garnish with an orange twist and/or cocktail cherry.
But within that framework, variation abounds.
- Whiskey; whether bourbon or rye, quality to taste
- Vermouth; fortified sweet wine bittered with wormwood (pronounced Wermut in German)
- Aromatic bitters to bring out and unite the other flavors
Choices at each of those steps can profoundly affect the final outcome.
Manhattans Around Richmond
Ever since reaching legal drinking age, Amanda Beckwith of Virginia Distillery Co. has been enamored of American single-malt whiskey (i.e., Scotch made here instead of Scotland). So, her ideal Manhattan is actually a Rob Roy: substituting whiskey for whisky. And she doesn’t really like vermouth, so she substitutes a lighter amaro like Averna or Montenegro.
“So technically I’m not really drinking a Manhattan at all, though in a way I am,” she said, basically encapsulating the Manhattan and its titanic lineage including Martinez and Negroni.
Charlie Rose at Kabana Rooftop prefers his Manhattan with rye because it’s sharper and drier than bourbon and cuts through the sweet bitterness of vermouth. Kabana’s menu features his fanciful variation using browned butter and Burlesque bitters.
Tara Schleinkofer says some guests at Lemaire go even drier, ordering rye Manhattans “perfect,” with half sweet and half dry vermouth. For an even more special treat, they offer a Manhattan variation on draft, made with their own unique Elijah Craig Barrel Select bourbon, Cardamaro and house-made fall-spiced bitters.
A Note on Balance
In my experience most people ask for bourbon in their Manhattans. For me the sweetness of bourbon gets a little cloying combined with the sweet vermouth. But I always tend to lean more dry than sweet. And rye also has that peppery edge that complements the sweetness and bitter herbal roundness of vermouth. I always go with at least 100 proof for a little extra muscle.
Adding rosso vermouth is like dressing the whiskey in a sleek, sexy outfit. If you put on some cheap, tawdry thing that’s been left out on the counter for who knows how long, the final product will reflect that. If you go with something bolder and more vivid like Charlie Rose’s favorite, Carpano Antica Formula, the focus shifts from the body to the garment.
This is a matter of preference. Me, I like something lightweight and sheer, enunciating the shape and contours and the strength of what’s underneath. Atxa Rojo vermouth is my choice, though it’s harder to find than Dolin Rouge. You can skip the Martini & Rossi or anything you’d find in a nightclub rail.
For an even lighter Manhattan, ask for it perfect. Tara Schleinkofer suggests Dolin for the vermouths, and using a lemon twist instead of orange for a brighter finish.
MANHATTAN RECIPES FROM RVA BARTENDERS
Whisky Noir (secret version)
Amanda Beckwith, Virginia Distillery Co.
When she’s not busy tasting whiskey blends or bottling cocktail kits, Amanda Beckwith comes up with drinks using Virginia Distillery Co. spirits. She learned mixology by reworking the classics with a chef. This is her single-malt play on the classic Black Manhattan:
2 ounces Port-Cask Finished Virginia Highland Whisky
1 ounce Amaro Averna
6 drops Fee Brothers Aztec Chocolate bitters
Combine ingredients and stir with ice (about 50 fast revolutions). Strain into a coupe glass and garnish with a Luxardo cocktail cherry
Brown Butter Manhattan
Charlie Rose, Kabana Rooftop
In Charlie Rose’s Brown Butter Manhattan, a fat wash adds body and buttery richness to a hearty wheated bourbon, bringing out the whiskey’s toasty notes and dancing merrily with Atxa Rojo vermouth from Spain. He went with Burlesque bitters for a beautiful creole savory spice that cuts through the butter and brings everything together.
2 ounces brown butter Woodford Wheated bourbon
1 ounce Atxa Rojo vermouth
1 dropper Bittermens Burlesque bitters
1 dash Angostura
Combine ingredients and stir with ice (about 50 fast revolutions). Strain into a coupe glass and garnish with lemon twist.
Brown Butter Rye
Set up a heatproof watertight container (at least 1 quart). In a saucepan over medium heat, melt a stick of butter (8 tablespoons). Add a pinch of salt. Keep heating, gently swirling the butter until it starts browning. Shut off the heat and pour the butter into the container. Add 1 bottle (750 ml) Sagamore rye. Refrigerate overnight so the butter solidifies. Break or cut the butter disc and strain the rye through cheesecloth to remove particles.
Smoking Cigar
Tara Schleinkofer, Lemaire
At Lemaire, you can get a Manhattan you cannot get anywhere else. Some time ago the staff visited Elijah Craig distillery to sample barrels and select one to have bottled just for Lemaire. Tara Schleinkover uses that proprietary bourbon plus Cardamaro (a wine-based aperitif made with cardoon thistles) and house-made fall-spiced bitters (cinnamon, clove, nutmeg and orange peel) for this Manhattan that they serve on draft.
2 ounces Barrel Select Elijah Craig bourbon
1 ounce Cardamaro
Fall-spiced bitters (you’ll have to ask them directly for the recipe)
Combine ingredients and stir with ice (about 50 fast revolutions). Strain into a coupe glass and garnish with a cinnamon stick singed like a cigar.
Paul Blumer is a writer and former bartender.
