How Drink Pros Take Their Manhattans

In our July/August 2024 issue, as part of an ongoing series where we ask drink pros about the drink that changed their life, we learn about the role the Manhattan played in New Orleans bartender Abigail Gullo’s career. It was a favorite of her grandfather, who considered it “the pinnacle of sophistication.”

Like her great-grandfather, who used rye whiskey to make Manhattans when he bartended at the Waldorf Astoria, Gullo prefers rye in her Perfect Manhattan, with half sweet and half dry vermouths. “Especially in our unreasonably hot summers in New Orleans, these specs for a Manhattan are light and delicious,” she says. Her specific taste for a Manhattan (see her recipe below) inspired us to reach out to other industry pros to find out how they like to fix up the classic whiskey cocktail.

Hanna Brown, Head Bartender of Agency of Record, New York City

As a scotch lover, Hanna Brown gravitates toward Rob Roy variations. “My go-to scotch is Talisker 10-year, with a splash of dark sherry, Oloroso or Pedro Ximenez. Paired with a rich sweet vermouth like Cocchi Torino, it creates a smoky but smooth Manhattan. Garnish with the classic cherry and a small orange peel disc expressed on top of the cherry.” But often, Brown dials things back by sticking to low-proof cocktails, often fixing up the reverse Manhattan. “The trick is to use a flavorful sweet vermouth with a lot of body and texture, like Cocchi Torino or Cinzano,” she says.

Samara B. Davis, Founder of Black Bourbon Society, Atlanta

“I particularly love a good Black Manhattan,” says Samara B. Davis, who returned to Radio Imbibe and is featured in our July/August 2024 issue. Her go-to combination is 2 oz. of Woodford Double Oaked, 1 oz. of Averna, and a few dashes of chocolate bitters. “Since WDO is twice barreled, it has a thicker and sweeter flavor profile than traditional bourbons,” she says. “It balances nicely with Averna, which is also a heavier and more rustic amaro compared to the others. Combined together, the cocktail provides a luxurious mouthfeel of rich and rustic flavor notes: dark cherry, vanilla, cedar and licorice.” Davis serves the drink up in a chilled coupe with a syrupy bourbon cherry. And for days when she’s feeling fancy, Davis will flame an orange peel for a touch of smokiness.

Linh Do, Brand Ambassador of Scotch Malt Whisky Society and Whisky Artist, Costa Mesa, California

When Linh Do bartended at Los Angeles’ Bar Jackalope, she would roll a whole orange peel into a rose for her Manhattan garnish to the delight of her guests. But for a cocktail at home, she adds a thin orange or mandarin peel for aromatics, which she often backs up with a dash of Honest John cara cara orange bitters, along with a dash of Angostura bitters. As for her whiskey of choice, Do likes “using 2 oz. of Russell’s 6-year because it’s sweeter than some MGP [Midwest Grain Products] ryes, and I think it pairs well with an ounce of Cocchi Vermouth and 2 dashes of Angostura.”

Meaghan Dorman, Bar Director of Raines Law Room and Dear Irving, New York City

When making a Manhattan to wind down for the evening, Meaghan Dorman splits 1/2 oz. of Cocchi Torino di Vermouth with 1/2 oz. of Barolo Chinato. “[Barolo Chinato is] rich and round and has layers of stewed fruit and earthy botanicals,” she says. “It isn’t as bitter as an amaro but a unique layer to add to a Manhattan.” For this Manhattan, Dorman reaches for “a rye with a lot of personality like New York Distilling’s Jaywalk Heirloom Rye.” But her default recipe is 2 1/4 oz. of 100-proof rye (Rittenhouse or Wild Turkey 101), 1 oz. Carpano Antica vermouth, 2 dashes of Angostura bitters; stirred; and served up with a quality cherry.

Toby Maloney, Co-Author of The Bartender’s Manifesto and partner of The Violet Hour, Chicago

When Toby Maloney chatted with us on Radio Imbibe last year, he shared his personal tips for making a Manhattan. “If I’m making a Manhattan, 99 out of 100 times, I’m going rye,” he said, adding that Rittenhouse rye from 2007 is his favorite. Ryes that are 100-proof and above allow one to build up complexity in the cocktail. And to stand up to a high-proof whiskey, his top three picks are Carpano Antica, Cocchi Torino, and Cinzano. “But I would sneak a little amaro in there as well,” he says. “I’m not mad at a quarter ounce or so of Ramazotti going in there.”

Just don’t forget to express an orange peel over the finished Manhattan and use it to garnish the drink. Without the twist, says Maloney, the cocktail is unbalanced. At the end of the podcast episode, Maloney shared one last tip: add 1 to 1 1/2 oz. of cold filtered water to your Manhattan in addition to ice for proper dillution. “As a bartender you’re using something that’s not actively being frozen, so it’s 32-ish degrees. You pull that ice out [at home] and it’s 10 degrees Fahrenheit. And to get water content from that is almost impossible.”

Adam Montgomerie, Bar Manager of Hawksmoor, New York City

The only changes Adam Montgomerie will make to a classic Manhattan are to add a dash of saline solution, use a split of rye and bourbon whiskeys (mostly rye), and chill the glass in the freezer a couple of hours beforehand. “It makes a real difference,” he says. “I love this style of up drink super cold. It adds an incredible texture to the cocktail and makes them dangerously easy to drink!”

As for the brands of whiskey, Montgomerie prefers Michter’s rye, Russell’s Reserve 6-year, or Rittenhouse Bottled-in-Bond. But he adds that at Hawksmoor, they selected a single barrel of rye from the New York Distilling Company. Their barrel yielded whiskey with “lots of dark cherry flavor alongside some woody spice notes and it was bottled at 100 proof. The Manhattan it made was absolutely delicious!”

Robert Simonson, Contributing Imbibe Editor and Author of The Encyclopedia of Cocktails

“The Manhattan is a particular favorite around our house,” says Robert Simonson. “It is my wife’s favorite drink. I make them at least a few times a week.” The prolific cocktail writer and his wife are whiskey agnostic with regard to the cocktail, and often mix in Rittenhouse rye, Elijah Craig bourbon, or Michter’s bourbon and rye. But even though the Simonsons have tried many fancy vermouths, they always return to Martini & Rossi. “It just works very well in a Manhattan and marries with every bourbon or rye out there,” he says.

They stick to the classic specs but garnish it with their homemade brandied cherries, using whole sour cherries from upstate New York. As for whether they enjoy them up or on the rocks, that depends on whether it’s a nightcap or a very warm evening. “We serve them up, unless it’s the last drink of the night or if it is very hot. Then, we may do them on the rocks.”

Josh White, Bar Manager of Death & Co., Washington, DC

Josh White prefers using high-proof rye to stand up to vermouths such as Carpano Antica and Cocchi vermouth di Torino. “For me, a classic Manhattan is all about balance and depth. I love using 2 1/2 oz. of Rittenhouse 100 Rye, 1 oz. of Carpano Antica Formula Sweet Vermouth, and 2 dashes of Angostura bitters. Stir it all together, strain it into a coupe glass, and garnish with a brandied cherry. It’s the perfect mix of spice, sweetness, and bitterness.” But make sure to serve the cocktail in a chilled glass “to keep it nice and crisp from the first sip to the last.”