When it comes to making a perfect Manhattan, technique is everything. You can use topshelf whiskey, imported vermouth, housemade bitters, a smallbatch organic garnish from a jar that cost $40—but you’re doing your ingredients (and yourself) a disservice if your next move is to throw it all in a shaker and call it a day. The magic of a heritage cocktail like a Manhattan isn’t splurging on the good stuff, it’s what happens in the process of putting it all together: unfolding flavor compounds, diluting the ABV for a smoother drinking experience, improving mouthfeel by cooling down ethanol’s sharp edges, and integrating the aromas for optimal olfactory balance if you do it right. Here’s how to do it right.
First of all, the results you get from this technique are also conditional on your tools. We recommend a clear mixing glass, which allows you to watch the ice and control the dilution. Be sure to stir your Manhattan with a proper bar spoon that features a long, twisted handle, minimizing friction and allowing for a smoother stir.
Start with ice in order to jump right into a controlled process of dilution, preserving your Manhattan’s structure and balance. A delay in chilling ingredients such as vermouth causes premature oxidation. Larger ice cubes (over 1) allows for even more control, melting slower and allowing you to control the infusion of water. When adding your ingredients over ice, layer them from lightest to heaviest to aid in integration: bitters come first, featuring volatile compounds that are stabilized and dispersed evenly by the cold surface of the ice. Then sweet vermouth, which is more temperaturesensitive than whiskey and prone to losing its top notes without a rapid chilling effect. Finally, layer your whiskey on top of the alreadychilled mixture, allowing ethanol’s vapor pressure to drop with the temperature.
If you’re looking for the clearest, silkiest cocktail possible (and with a spiritforward heritage drink like this, you really should be), here’s why to do the opposite of 007: shaking a Manhattan adds air and breaks up the ice into small irregular shards, unevenly clouding and diluting the end result. Instead, stir gently and carefully, spinning but not crashing the ice. Aim for just enough time to blend the water and alcohol, allow the oils and compounds to emulsify evenly, and disperse the bitters cohesively. Understir and you can end up with too much burn and unbalanced layers of flavor; overstirring, on the flip side, can leave you with a cocktail with no bite or backbone.
A good rule of thumb is 20 to 40 seconds of stirring, but we recommend that you use your senses as a guide. After about 15 to 20 seconds, you should feel a little less resistance as you stir, and the outside of the glass should accumulate a gentle fog—both helpful signs that your drink is approaching optimal temperature. Finally, taste for smoothness and balance.
We hope this helps you find joy in the process of unlocking the full potential of your ingredients and carry on a centuryold heritage cocktailmaking tradition. Enjoy your perfect Manhattan!