"The celebrated Manhattan cocktail was
inaugurated at the Manhattan Club..." Hi, friends of cocktails and history. Today we’re taking a look at how
different a modern Manhattan is to the ones made nearly 140 years ago. We’ll make three versions of this classic
whiskey, sweet vermouth, and bitters cocktail using recipes from 1884,1887
and the well-known modern version. It was obviously pretty popular by the end
of the 19th century, but it’s unclear who and when exactly created the Manhattan cocktail.
There are many possible stories floating around its creation, including the popular Manhattan
Club being the birthplace of this iconic drink. All of that is highlighted by the cocktail
historian David Wondrich, in his excellent book, Imbibe. Besides the history of
the cocktail, he also offers 3 different recipes and the school of thought behind them. We’ll make two of them. I highly recommend this book. Now, who’s ready for some Manhattans?
It’s Cocktail Time. Before we get to today's cocktails, I'm thrilled
to announce a couple of partnerships for the Cocktail Time channel,
one of which is perfectly timed. That’s because you'll need a couple
of different bottles for these recipes and Curiada can help you out with that, if you're
based in the continental US. You'll be able to find my collection on their site
with all the bottles I'm using on this channel. Click the link in the description to let them know
Kevin sent you. Now, let's make the cocktail. This time I’ll start with the modern version. Most of you know it, it’s almost as simple
as it gets. Let’s make the Manhattan. The now standard 2-1-2 ratio of 2 oz whisky, 1 oz
sweet vermouth and 2 dashes of Angostura bitters not only makes a delicious, but also
an easy to remember cocktail. And while rye is usually the preferred option nowadays,
majority of the pre-prohibition recipes just called for whiskey, only a few specifically
called for rye, some even went with bourbon. During prohibition Canadian whisky
was a popular option. I think the Four Roses Single Barrel bourbon brings
the perfect combination of the smooth and sweet corn with enough spice from the high rye mashbill.
High ABV also makes a difference, whether you go with rye or bourbon.
As for the sweet vermouth, find a pairing that fits your choice of whiskey. I’m using
Cocchi Vermouth di Torino, which has a rich, intense, well-rounded flavor that will pair
nicely with the single-barrel bourbon; bringing out flavors of caramel, orange and stone fruits.
Angostura bitters add a bit of extra spice and complexity and bring the other 2 ingredients
together to create an eternal classic. Add 2 dashes if you’re using a classic bottle, or
4 dashes from a more precise bitters dasher bottle. Then fill your mixing glass with ice and stir
to chill and dilute, for about 30 seconds. And all that chilling will do you no good
if your glassware isn’t chilled, so make sure you place it in the freezer or you fill
it with ice as you’re making the cocktail. That will keep your strained Manhattan
nice and cold for longer. For the final touch, the classic Manhattan garnish,
a maraschino cherry. As we usually do for these "Old vs New" episodes, I’ll first make all three versions, then
taste them together. So let’s get right into making the 1884 Manhattan, as written
by George Winter in his How To Mix Drinks, the Bar Keeper’s Handbook, using equal parts
of whiskey and vermouth, and a bit of gum syrup added as well, since it’s based on the original
"Whiskey cocktail", or the Old Fashioned. I made gum syrup in the “syrups episode” last year. The addition of gum arabic gives
it a nice silky mouthfeel. If you don’t want to make your own I just received a few
bottles of Lber & Co syrups, including this demerara gum syrup. It has a nice
burnt sugar taste to it, with the rich silky mouthfeel. I’ll leave a link in the description if you want to
grab a bottle. Thanks, Liber & Co. Now, back to the cocktail. The recipe calls for a bar-glass to be filled
three-quarters full of ice, then to add two or three dashes of Peruvian Bitters,
which were advertised in the book. Wondrich suggests trying it with orange bitters,
as written in the recipe of the official history of the Manhattan Club, so that’s what I’m using.
One to two dashes of gum syrup equals about ½ a teaspoon, which is what I’m using,
since this is too viscous to dash. Here Rittenhouse 100-proof is the best way
to go - the strong spice and high ABV is needed to stand up to the equal amount of vermouth
we’ll add. The one-half wine glass measurement is a bit confusing, but Wondrich notes that
it represents 45 ml or 1.5 oz. I guess we don’t need the barspoon for this
part yet… And for vermouth I’m using the one based on the
original 1786 recipe, Carpano Antica Formula. Equal measure as whiskey.
Then stir to mix, chill, and dilute. All we’re left with is to strain it into a fancy cocktail
glass. The earliest recipes didn’t call for a garnish, no cherry or a lemon twist, so we’ll serve
the Old Standard Manhattan like this. I’ll set that aside and make the final
Manhattan of the day, a Reverse Manhattan, from the 1887
"Bar-Tender’s Guide", by Jerry Thomas. He calls for 2 parts vermouth to 1 part whiskey,
with Bogart’s bitters and 2 dashes of curacao or maraschino. I chose
Maraschino, for a bit of nutty floral sweetness, over orange notes from the curacao.
4 small dashes, or use ½ a teaspoon. For whiskey and vermouth I’m again using
the combination of Rittenhouse 100-proof and Carpano Antica Formula. 1 pony glass of whiskey,
and 1 wine-glass of vermouth. A pony glass is 30 ml, or 1 ounce,
and a wine glass is 60 ml, or 2 oz. Lastly, 3 dashes of Boker’s bitters. I’m using
Bogart’s, Jerry Thomas wouldn’t mind. And since this isn’t a dasher bottle
I’ll add half a bar spoon. Wondrich suggests stirring this cocktail,
like you typically would, but to keep in line with the instructions from the
Bar-Tender’s Guide I’ll add 2 small lumps of ice and shake this Manhattan. This vermouth-heavy recipe is believed to have been
developed from a "Vermouth Cocktail", to which a bit of spirit was added to give it
a little something extra. Strain into a claret goblet. and follow the recipe with the final touch -
a quarter of a slice of lemon in the glass, and serve. So, how do the old stack up against what you can
hopefully get in any cocktail bar around the world today? Let’s find out. I’ll start with the modern and use that
as a benchmark I’m familiar with. Full bodied whisky is the main player here, complemented by the sweet notes of the vermouth. 4 roses
single barrel and Cocchi is a great pairing. Smooth and just sweet enough with the aftertaste
of gentle spice from the high rye content and the bitters. We’ll see how others compare. Aroma of vanilla lets you know the whisky
won’t be as present. It’s a bit too sweet, but not as sweet as I’d expect from the
recipe. 100-proof rye is strong enough to bring extra spice and tone down the sweetness.
It has a long finish of vanilla, orange and subtle spice. Interesting.
The Reverse Manhattan’s amount of vermouth is present on the aroma, with a bit of fruity
floral notes from maraschino. As expected, it’s the sweetest of the three and even
the bold rye whiskey is a bit lost, providing just a small leg up in terms of stiffness
and spiciness. But I guess that was the point of this recipe.
So, I know which one’s my favorite. But like always - don’t just take my word
for it, try it for yourself. Cheers, friends of cocktails, I’ll see you
next week. I really prefer this one.
- Yours? - Mhm. What about yours?
- I've only got this one and its delightful! "I've only got this one and its delightful!
