The most difficult drinks in bartending are the classics that use few ingredients. Nothing could be more true when preparing the Rye based Manhattan cocktail. The drink has as many reincarnations,
as you can imagine, but I know how i like it. First off, its important to know just what perfect means. It’s not perfection in that the ultimate martini was just fashioned. Perfect is a modification of the original recipe. A Manhattan is made with 3 parts Canadian Rye Whisky, one part sweet Italian vermouth, a healthy plash of Angostura bitters and a cherry for garnish. The ingredients are combined in a Boston shaker, stirred, rested and then strained into a chilled martini glass.
To make the drink perfect, and (in my opinion) a must better version of the classic , we add a splash of dry Italian vermouth to the glass as well. DO NOT add the vermouth to the mix! Instead – chill your martini glass and while the mixture rests dump the ice water and pour the measure of dry vermouth into to the cold glass. Swirl the dry vermouth inside and pour out any that doesn’t collect on the side. This technique removes a lot of the spirit and reduces the harsh liquor’s flavour in your Manhattan. This is a great recipe for those searching for perfection.
DAVE – In search of perfect spirits.