Making Manhattan – A How To On Making A Manhattan Cocktail

          The first step to making any cocktail is to first gather the ingredients needed.  For a Manhattan you will need:

               2 oz. Rye whiskey

               ½ oz. Sweet vermouth aka Italian vermouth

               2-3 dashes of Angostura bitters

               1 Maraschino cherry to garnish

          It is important to note that using another type of whiskey such as bourbon or Canadian does not interfere with the integrity of the Manhattan name, but Rye is the original type of whiskey that was used, and many purists believe it to be the best.  That being said, it is acceptable to make or order a Manhattan that does not use Rye if that is preferable to the individual.

          Fill a cocktail shaker or mixing glass half way with ice and add the ingredients.  Stir or swirl so that the ingredients intermingle and become chilled from the ice.   Once this has occurred, strain the cocktail into a chilled 5-7 ounce cocktail glass (most commonly a martini style glass).  To chill the glass simply put it into a freezer for 30 minutes to an hour. 

          Shaking a Manhattan instead of stirring one does not affect the taste, however it does impede the aesthetic qualities by creating a cloudy body and a layer of separation at the top (think of how juice becomes separated).  After all, a Manhattan is known not just for it’s bold taste, but also for its’ rich color, which would be devastatingly altered if shaken.  Lastly, a Manhattan is garnished with a maraschino cherry.