Rich, sweet and smoky, a Bourbon Manhattan cocktail is hard to beat on a cold night – and this version ticks all those boxes and then some! With only 3 ingredients – bourbon whiskey, sweet Italian vermouth, and bitters, it’s an easy cocktail to make – and an easy cocktail to get wrong! So read on to find out how to make the BEST Manhattan with bourbon!
Bourbon Manhattan Recipe
Among whiskey cocktails, the Manhattan is a classic. I first tried a Manhattan about 20 years ago and it was.. terrible. Made with Seagrams 7, it was harsh and bitter and I honestly couldn’t figure out what made this whiskey cocktail so popular. So I never had one again. Recently, however, I was coaxed into trying one and… it bore no relationship to the one I’d had years ago!
Sweet, smoky and oh -so- smooth, I finally understood what all the fuss was about.. and learned a few things in the process which I want to share with you!
A Classic Manhattan.. with Bourbon!
The Manhattan cocktail is one of the oldest and easiest American cocktails. The drink traces it’s history to the 1870s. Served at a banquet at the Manhattan Club, it was an instant success – and became known as a Manhattan.
What’s in a Manhattan?
A classic Manhattan is made with bourbon or rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, and bitters. Originally, the Manhattan was made with rye whiskey. With the ban on liquor during Prohibition, rye was replaced with easier to get Canadian whiskey.
Canadian whiskey is smoother and lighter than rye. Despite the change, the cocktail was as popular as ever. After Prohibition, many bars started making the drink with bourbon since it is closer in flavor to Canadian whiskey.
I’m a fan of bourbon for this cocktail, so to make it, you’ll need:
- Bourbon Whisky – there are literally hundreds of bourbons on the market so it really depends upon the style of bourbon you enjoy. Woodford Reserve is one of my favorite bourbons for this cocktail, but I also love it with Elijah Craig and Maker’s Mark.
- Sweet vermouth – like bourbon there are quite a few sweet vermouths on the market. For a richer cocktail, Carpano Antica (an Italian Vermouth) is absolutely delicious. It’s a little on the heavy side, so if you like a lighter cocktail, Dolin Rouge and Miro Rojo, a Spanish vermouth are also delicious!
- Bitters – traditionally Angostura is used but I prefer Regan’s Orange Bitters.
- Cocktail Cherries – the standard garnish for the manhattan cocktail is the bright red maraschino cherry. To be honest, I’m not a fan of them. I much prefer the Luxardo brand of Maraschino cherries. They are rich, smooth and… taste more like real cherries! If you’ve never tried them, I highly recommend you give them a try.
- Orange Peel – not strictly traditional, but I really think an thin peel orange is the perfect finishing touch for this drink!
What’s the Best Bourbon for a Manhattan?
This might be the most hotly debated cocktail topic ever!. The key to this cocktail is balancing the smoky, sweet burn of bourbon with the sweet, herbaceousness of vermouth. I’ve tried different ratios of bourbon to vermouth, but I still like the classic 2:1 ratio of bourbon to vermouth the best.
To my taste, a smooth bourbon without too much smoke or sweetness is the best choice. Not sure what bourbon you should choose? This Thrillist article has a great description of some of the most popular bourbons!
How to Make this Manhattan Cocktail Recipe
- Add the bourbon, vermouth, and bitters to a mixing glass. Add about 1 cup of ice and stir for about 30 seconds.
- Strain into a chilled martini glass.
- For a bourbon manhattan on the rocks, strain over ice into a rocks or old fashioned cocktail glass.
- Garnish with a maraschino cherry and an orange peel. Since the Luxardo cherries don’t have stems, you’ll need to put the cherry on a pick. You don’t have to get all fancy as I did and thread the orange peel on though – you can simply add it to the glass!
I hope you enjoy this bourbon cocktail as much as I do!
Here are some Bourbon Manhattan Variations you may enjoy!
- The Perfect Manhattan – a mix of sweet and dry vermouth flavor this easy sipper!
- Fall Manhattan – apple brandy flavors this fall favorite!
- Maple Manhattan – bourbon and maple are always a winning combination!
If you’re a bourbon lover, then you don’t want to miss these Bourbon cocktails!
- Bourbon Old Fashioned – honey and orange flavor this riff on the classic!
- Lemon Drop Martini – all the flavors you love, with bourbon!
- Bourbon Mule – Moscow’s Southern cousin!
- Amaretto Cocktail – bourbon and amaretto are a match made in heaven!
If you enjoyed this recipe, I would LOVE for you to give it a 5-star rating! Cheers! Nancy
Bourbon Manhattan
Ingredients
- 2 oz. Bourbon whiskey
- 1 oz. sweet vermouth
- 3 dashes orange bitters
- 1 Luxardo cherry optional
- 1 strip orange peel optional
Instructions
- Combine the bourbon, vermouth, and bitters in a mixing glass.
- Add about 1 cup of ice.
- Stir for 30 seconds.
- Pour into a chilled coupe glass or over ice in a rocks or old fashioned glass.
- Garnish with a Luxardo cherry and a strip of orange zest if desired.
Recipe Notes
- Bourbon Whisky – there are literally hundreds of bourbons on the market so it really depends upon the style of bourbon you enjoy. My personal favorites for this drink I made this one with Woodford Reserve, but I also love it with i Elijah Craig and Maker’s Mark.
- Sweet vermouth – like bourbon there are quite a few sweet vermouths on the market. For a richer cocktail, Carpano Antica is absolutely delicious – but I also have used and enjoyed Dolin Rouge and Miro Rojo, a Spanish vermouth.
- Bitters – traditionally Angostura is used but I prefer Regan’s Orange Bitters.
- MAKE AHEAD: This cocktail is ideal for making ahead and perfect for serving for parties. Just combine the bourbon, vermouth and bitters for however many cocktails you want to make and add to an easy pouring bottle. Measure out three ounces and add to a mixing glass with ice and proceed with the recipe!
“Rich, sweet and smoky” is music to my ears. That goes for drinks AND food. 🙂 Delicious!
Mine too Valentina!!!