The Manhattan cocktail combines rye or bourbon whiskey with sweet vermouth and Angostura bitters.
A classic Manhattan is stirred with ice and strained into a chilled cocktail glass, often with a maraschino cherry garnish. Rye whiskey gives the drink a spicier profile, while bourbon generally produces a rounder, sweeter result.
The cocktail’s exact origin is uncertain. A popular story connects it with a 19th-century banquet at New York’s Manhattan Club, but historians have questioned parts of that account. What is clear is that the drink became established in American cocktail culture during the late 19th century.
The Manhattan is often confused with nearby whiskey cocktails. An Old Fashioned uses whiskey, sugar, bitters, and water rather than sweet vermouth. A Rob Roy follows the Manhattan pattern but uses Scotch whisky instead of American or Canadian whiskey, while a Sazerac traditionally emphasizes rye, absinthe, and a sugar cube.