#Manhattan frink series#

I get more of the cocoa and herbal/spicy notes of the rye here, although there are some supporting flourishes of vanilla and a little bit of red fruit from the Carpano Antica.Īll in all, this isn’t bad-it’s actually somewhat better than I thought it would be. This is a very spicy Manhattan, and it’s also a little bit hot, whereas the booze in the other two is considerably more subdued and gentle. The strongest and most spirit-forward of the three definitely puts the rye whiskey front and center. Suffice to say, the results confirmed what I already would have expected: All three versions of the Manhattan are charming in their own way, but they’re substantially different drinks in terms of flavor. I didn’t bother with the cherry garnish, as I just wanted to get a feel for how different each iteration of the drink would be with a 4:1, 3:1 or 2:1 ratio. They were then poured into the same style of glass. The bitters are simply a dash of good old Angostura-nothing fancy.Įach Manhattan was stirred-the Manhattan should always be a stirred drink, as we’ve written about before-with the same amount of ice, for the same amount of time. For the vermouth, I used my go-to for Manhattans, which is Carpano Antica Formula. For the whiskey, I used some 100 proof rye (100 or higher is best) in the form of WhistlePig 10 Year. Obviously, I made all of these test Manhattans with the same whiskey, vermouth and bitters for consistency. Without further ado, let’s get right to it, in the name of science. And it made me wonder: Why do I make a Manhattan the way I do at home? Do I even know which ratio I actually prefer? Why not test it out in an objective way?Īnd so, I present this taste test, setting equal samples of the 4:1, 3:1 and 2:1 ratios against each other to see which one I legitimately think is best. Today, however, there seems to have been some regression back to the classic Manhattan, and a newfound appreciation for vermouth among bartenders and the cocktail cognoscenti. In the years that followed, if you looked for a Manhattan recipe online, you might find any of the above and think this is the ONLY way to make the drink.

It seemed like there was a certain element of machismo here, as if making the Manhattan a drink that was almost exclusively whiskey was technically more flavorful/intense and therefore more “manly.” In response, the ratios used at bars and restaurants frequently seemed to creep up to 4:1 and beyond in the 2000s.

It became trendy to act as if the vermouth in a martini or Manhattan was simply a detriment getting in the way of enjoying your vodka, bourbon or rye, and people making martinis in particular would go out of their way to sneer at the inclusion of any vermouth at all. However, as “extra dry” versions of cocktails such as the martini (unfortunately) came into vogue, especially in the 2000s, the Manhattan seemed to get caught up in the same wave. Over time, that ratio frequently drifted in a slightly more dry direction, and a 3:1 ratio became quite common in restaurants and bars. This yields a very full-bodied, silky, decadent cocktail. The original incarnation of the drink, created as early as the 1860s or 1870s, was quite rich and vermouth-forward, typically employing a 2:1 ratio of two parts whiskey (classically rye whiskey) to one part sweet vermouth. This is important to consider, because there really isn’t any true consensus on what the “proper” ratio is supposed to be. Which is to say: When you mix a Manhattan at home, what ratio of whiskey-to-vermouth are you using? Because this can be a very, very different drink with relatively small changes to that ratio, and it ultimately plays a huge role in determining what kind of flavor profile your Manhattan will have. With that said, one aspect of preparing this drink that is very important, but sometimes glossed over, is how one approaches the all-important Manhattan ratio.

Whether that’s a function of using a whiskey that is too weak or bland, overly diluting the drink, using low-quality vermouth, or neglecting to add the right bitters, there are a lot of bad Manhattans out there, and it’s always a shame to see. An unassailable classic, there are few simple pleasures more perfect than a well-made Manhattan before dinner, although we’d argue it’s also one of the cocktail recipes that is most easily ruined by making it poorly. The Manhattan cocktail is, perhaps unsurprisingly, one I’ve waxed poetic on more than once in the past.

#Manhattan frink series#

Check out every entry in the series to date. Cocktail Queries is a Paste series that examines and answers basic, common questions that drinkers may have about mixed drinks, cocktails and spirits.