While it’s certain this cocktail came from New York’s most famous borough—as opposed to the Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx, or Staten Island cocktails—there are varying specifics.
Creation credit often goes to Dr. Iain Marshall, who, in 1874, allegedly mixed one up on behalf of presidential candidate Samuel J. Tilden at a party at the Manhattan Club in New York hosted by Winston Churchill’s mother. However, this would have been difficult considering that she was in England at the time, far along in a pregnancy, and so would have had to attend by Zoom—or rather, transatlantic mail, I suppose.
An earlier story comes from a later source. The 1923 edition of “Valentine’s Manual of Old New York” includes a chapter by William F. Mulhall, who asserts that a man named Black in an establishment on Broadway invented this “most famous mixed drink in the world in its time” in the 1860s.
“At the Hoffmann in the old days a gentleman would come in and sit down to a table with his party and the waiter would come over and order his particular formula for the party,” Mulhall writes. “Bartenders had to learn them by memory, too, so that the order could be served quickly.”
That’s worth noting. Some recipes call for a bit of orange Curaçao or even absinthe. It seems certain that the base spirit originally was rye whiskey, but that, too, gets substitutions. Rye brings a nice spiciness to the drink, while bourbons lend a perception of caramel, vanilla, or other flavors.
Other recipes call for Canadian blended whiskey, but these likely have their origins in the Prohibition era, when this would have been an easier ingredient to find. So choose your booze according to taste—but if you use Scotch, you’re drinking a Rob Roy.
Then there’s the world of vermouths. Martini & Rossi’s is a broadly loved and easily obtained sweet vermouth, but—compared to whiskeys—the aromatically herbed red wine offers even wider flavor profiles. While the complexity of higher-end Carpano Antica Formula is attractive, one can’t go wrong with the very affordable Italian Cinzano or the 29 herb and spice blend Noilly Prat from France. Some brands bring a bit of extra bitterness or standout herbaceous qualities, so be sure not to mix something that overpowers your whiskey. Mix equal parts dry and sweet vermouth, and you’ll have a perfect Manhattan.
Classic Manhattan
- 2 ounces rye whiskey
- 1 ounce sweet vermouth
- 2 dashes bitters
- Brandied cherry and/or orange peel for garnish
