The Manhattan

One of my goals is to have the ingredients for Manhattans in the apartment. I should have specified and also noted that I wanted to be able to make them as well. I am by no means claiming to be an expert, but I have experimented a bit, and I think I've got it.

For a Manhattan you need:

• Whiskey
• Sweet vermouth
• Angostura bitters
• Maraschino cherries 

Traditionally Manhattans are made with rye, although people use all different kinds of whiskey. Since this is my first go at it, I decided to stick with tradition and I bought myself a mid-range rye called JP Wiser's Rye Whisky. It is Canadian, which apparently means it has a pretty different flavor from an American rye (I'll take Google's word for it for now). It has a much lighter flavor than some whiskeys I've had and is very smooth. That is all I've got when it comes to describing whiskey. (If you want more details, this guy is really entertaining and I fully intend on watching every single one of his videos.) 

I chose the Dolin Vermouth de Chambéry Rouge primarily because the man at the liquor store said it was a good choice . . .  and also because I liked the bottle, let's be honest. When I tried it by itself I noticed that it was very sweet, not really what I expected from a wine. Turns out I was right, it is red because of the caramelizing of the sugar in it, which makes sense as it is a sweet vermouth. 

Angostura bitters are just Angostura bitters. They come in a surprisingly ugly bottle with an ill-fitting label, but I guess they can do what they want when they have a monopoly on the market. According to the highly academic Wikipedia, only five people know the entire recipe. For the purposes of research, I tasted the bitters expecting a, well, bitter taste. Instead I immediately thought of Christmas. It is very spicy (like, nutmeg and cinnamon, not hot sauce) and very potent. 

Now, the important ingredient, maraschino cherries. I got them from the canned fruit aisle . . . and they taste like any other maraschino cherries. 

Anyway. To make a Manhattan you will also need a cocktail shaker or a strainer, a metal spoon, some ice, and a cocktail glass (I substituted the glass). 

First, you take two ounces of your rye and pour it into the shaker. You then add your sweet vermouth. Recipes tend to differ on how much you should use: some say 1 ounce, others say 1/2 ounce. After a bit of trail and error, I think I've decided that I like 3/4 ounce, otherwise known as 1/2 jigger. 

After adding a dash of bitters (which I have taken literally, I kind of just shake the bottle once and call it good), you add the ice and stir the mix. You don't shake it. Then, you pour the drink through a strainer, leaving the ice behind.

Finally, you add the best, and final ingredient:

And there you have it. It isn't a perfect recipe and I am really excited to try different whiskeys and perhaps a different sweet vermouth. 

The true test, however, is going to making it for the dads back home. I'll report back on the verdict.