Dating back to sometime in the 1870s, with the first found published record in a Gotham gossip column in 1882, the drink itself may—debatably—be considered the proto-cocktail. There are dozens of stories surrounding its creation, most circling around the Manhattan Club of New York.
These days, much like the original recipe, there is a lot of room for interpretation. The only expectations that hold are that the base is an American whiskey, sweet vermouth is involved, and Angostura bitters come into play. As the majority of bourbon’s mash bill is corn, it has an inherently sweeter profile as opposed to say, rye. To then add sweet vermouth to it, can tip it into cloyingly sweet territory.
For my Manhattan, I opt for an overproof bourbon. The higher alcohol content adds a constructive heat that cuts through the sweeter elements, allowing the warmer notes of the bourbon—plus warming baking spices of the Angostura bitters—to complement the herbaceous qualities of the vermouth. Finishing by expressing an orange peel over the drink adds a bright nose of warm citrus while the garnish of cherry ensures a sweet bite to give the Manhattan a new dimension. —Harper Fendler
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