Make Mine (Wild Turkey) Manhattan

Make Mine (Wild Turkey) Manhattan

Unlike a good beer or wine, a cocktail is made on the spot and so reflects the skill and personality of the maker in a way not possible with a beverage simply poured from a bottle. A Manhattan is an excellent cocktail, with much more flavor than the standard martini and much more potential to activate the palate in preparation for dinner.

I prefer to use Wild Turkey (in part because I’m amused by the cognitive dissonance of putting such a rustically named bourbon in a drink named after America’s most urbane urban area). Being Anglo-Italian, I also dig the fact that this drink was allegedly popularized by Jenny Churchill (Winston’s mum) and uses sweet Vermouth, an Italian liquor.

My personal recipe is still evolving but is currently 3:1 bourbon to sweet Vermouth, healthy dash of bitters, maraschino cherry (with stem) in a martini glass rimmed with lemon. Like a well-made catsup, a Manhattan demonstrates “amplitude,” a conjunction of flavors that hits many taste sensors and builds exponentially into one perfectly balanced taste. It’s sweet, bitter, and sour, and so it makes the tongue come alive in a way few other drinks are capable of achieving.

Before ordering a Wild Turkey Manhattan in a bar, I make sure the bartender will be using bitters – sometimes they leave out this ingredient, and that is very wrong; better not to have the drink at all than to have it without Angostura’s. I would never insult the bartender by asking if s/he uses maraschino syrup instead of sweet Vermouth, but such abominations are not uncommon. Unlike martinis, which are simply kissed with dry Vermouth, the Manhattan needs a fair quantity of sweet Vermouth to be complete (this is especially true, I believe, if you use the spicier rye rather than bourbon, which would be the preference of purists).

On a more subtle note – and here I do differ from purists – I think it important to stir the drink, rather than shake it. When the bourbon is shaken with ice, it seems to insult the bourbon, resulting in a murkier beverage, less pleasing to the eye and tongue.

David “Nothing If Not All Amerikan” Hammond

David - The Manhattan is "my drink," I am proud to say. The many delightful genera and species of the Manhattan warrant thorough and enthusiastic exploration, and I've been doing my share for years now. You clearly like a Manhattan with some real cojones; not only 3:1 bourbon to vermouth, but also a bonded bourbon! I bow in your general direction. My preference is an 80 or 86 proof bourbon (Makers or Basil Hayden's or something fancier) mixed just 2:1 with the sweet vermouth (or maybe 2.5:1). I, too, feel a Manhattan without bitters is like a January day without frozen spit on the sidewalks -- i.e., missing the point. I'm more than happy with a standard, sugary maraschino cherry ... although the brandy-soaked version is fine, if more than I require, too. And go ahead and shake the hell out of it; I actually like my bourbon "bruised," although I understand the appeal of a crystal clear stirred cocktail. The best Manhattan I ever drank was mixed by an old pro at one of the bars in the MGM Grand; he tossed in a bit of Triple Sec, plus some true magic. Put me in the right mood for a meal at Nob Hill that, despite the obscene cost and underwhelming food, I was happy to pay for, still basking in the perfect Manhattan glow.

David,

Most of the time I like to enjoy my Manhattan made "perfect" with Maker's Mark, or more accurately, slightly less than perfect. Judging from your sweet tooth/ketchup fetish, I would assume that you would think this variation on the classic to be just plain wrong. Replacing nearly half the sweet vermouth with dry vermouth makes for a more balanced (boring?) drink, but you can have another without getting the sugar-coated candy belly effect. I concur with the stirred not shaken method, and not only the Manhattan, but most cocktails.

I've never had a Manhattan made with Rye--but I think that next time I'm in a bar that has Van Winkle Rye (sweeter, smoother less grassy rye) I'll try it.

David Hammond wrote:A Manhattan is an excellent cocktail

Hammond,

Seems I have to go back to tin foil hats as you have, once again, read my mind.

Makers Mark Manhattan with brandy infused cherries at the Matchbox. (Earlier this evening)



Enjoy,
Gary

The Matchbox
770 N. Milwaukee Ave
Chicago, IL
312-666-9292

I seem to recall Matchbox shaking their Manhattans. So yummy.

Now, if I could find a decent side-car, sigh.

trixie-pea wrote:David,

Most of the time I like to enjoy my Manhattan made "perfect" with Maker's Mark, or more accurately, slightly less than perfect. Judging from your sweet tooth/ketchup fetish, I would assume that you would think this variation on the classic to be just plain wrong. Replacing nearly half the sweet vermouth with dry vermouth makes for a more balanced (boring?) drink, but you can have another without getting the sugar-coated candy belly effect. I concur with the stirred not shaken method, and not only the Manhattan, but most cocktails.

I've never had a Manhattan made with Rye--but I think that next time I'm in a bar that has Van Winkle Rye (sweeter, smoother less grassy rye) I'll try it.

TP,

I tried a perfect Manhattan last night and thought it was just fine. I will admit, I tend toward the sweet in Manhattans, but with the sweet Vermouth and the cherry, a drier note is nice, too.

I've never ordered one of these, and I might be cautious about that. Any bartender worth his/her salt is going to know how to make a Perfect Manhattan, but...I guess I'm not sure one can expect competence from every one who tends bar. At Matchbox, I'm sure there'd be no problem (plus, you get the "best cherries in the world").

Hammond

I've never had a Manhattan until this past Friday night. I was at the bar at Sola and remembered reading a post here about their version. It (they) was (were) excellent. That's all I need is another drink obsession!

Food was excellent as well.

I understand all of the debate about what bourbon one prefers in one's Manhattan, but what about the sweet vermouth? Is Martini & Rossi the preferred brand name? Do I use some of the same inexpensive stuff I use for marinating chicken [well, I use dry vermouth to cook with, but the cheapness question is the same]?

I keep trying to like Manhattans... is the vermouth where I've gone wrong? I need somthing else to be as tedious about as I am tedious about what constitutes a real Martini .

Giovanna

Giovanna wrote:I understand all of the debate about what bourbon one prefers in one's Manhattan, but what about the sweet vermouth? Is Martini & Rossi the preferred brand name? Do I use some of the same inexpensive stuff I use for marinating chicken [well, I use dry vermouth to cook with, but the cheapness question is the same]?

I keep trying to like Manhattans... is the vermouth where I've gone wrong? I need somthing else to be as tedious about as I am tedious about what constitutes a real Martini .

Giovanna

Giovanna, I have on very good authority (though I have not tried it myself) that Carpano's "Punt e Mes" (red vermouth) has a mild sweetness as well as bitter elements that give a Manhattan a pleasing, extra dimension.

I must admit, as I'm just beginning the long process of "experimentation," that I've been using the standard Martini & Rossi, but there must be better than that out there.

I applaud your unstinting efforts to enjoy Manhattans...you are using bitters, right?

Hammond

I tried a perfect Manhattan last night and thought it was just fine. I will admit, I tend toward the sweet in Manhattans, but with the sweet Vermouth and the cherry, a drier note is nice, too.

I think you've hit on the secret of the Manhattan's appeal, frankly.

Manly name, brown drink, but the touch of sweetness that you want sometimes without ordering something like a Whiskey Sour or a rum and Coke, let alone a Pina Colada.

It is an admirable concoction which has stood the test of time and allows for a tightly proscribed yet intriguing range of variations, unlike such drinks as the Martini which have become, shall we say, indiscriminate in their minglings.

I must get back to the Matchbox soon.

Great minds. My drink of choice as well, except in the summer, when it's Negronii all the way.

As Jim must know, Sabatino's makes a pretty fine old-fashioned rocks Manhattan. Big surprise. I like the leather-infused affair at David Burke pretty well, also. Matchbox, almost goes w/o saying.

JimInLoganSquare wrote:My preference is an 80 or 86 proof bourbon (Makers or Basil Hayden's or something fancier)

Giovanna wrote:I understand all of the debate about what bourbon one prefers in one's Manhattan...

I am curious actually about what folks perceive as the range of appropriate bourbons for a Manhattan. I tend to think that it would be a travesty to mix anything (including ice) with certain older small batch bourbons. The personal standard for me is probably Makers for the everyday Manhattan with Basil Hayden's and others in its category (80-90 proof, aged 12 years or less) as the upper limit of where I would go in terms of small batch. I wouldn't go so far as to say that using a nicer bourbon is a waste of bourbon, but maybe just what's the point, as the distinguishing features of an older, more complex bourbon would be muted or washed out by the other components of the Manhattan. But that's just me.

I think there are two questions here:

Will a better bourbon make the resulting drink taste better?

Is it kind of a waste to use a better bourbon for a mixed drink?

I think the answer to both questions is probably "Yes."

HI,

When I was growing up, my best friend's parents had Manhattans every evening. They were always made with Canadian Club to the following proportions over ice:

2 ounces CC: 1 ounce sweet vermouth: dash of bitters and cherries served with a little straw for twirling and sipping.

My friend's Dad died of Alzheimer's. He long forgot how to make coffee before he ever forgot to make a Manhattan.

My Irish Grandparents favored drink was a High Ball, which my Mom just explained was any good Whiskey and Ginger Ale.

Regards,

To the person asking about the perfect sidecar, the Pepper Lounge gets my vote. It comes with a citrus sugar rim and a slice of orange. La Tache also makes a great one without a sugared rim. And Bistro Campagne makes their own version with Calvados. Delicious!

JimInLoganSquare wrote:My preference is an 80 or 86 proof bourbon (Makers or Basil Hayden's or something fancier)

Matt wrote:I am curious actually about what folks perceive as the range of appropriate bourbons for a Manhattan. I tend to think that it would be a travesty to mix anything (including ice) with certain older small batch bourbons. The personal standard for me is probably Makers for the everyday Manhattan with Basil Hayden's and others in its category (80-90 proof, aged 12 years or less) as the upper limit of where I would go in terms of small batch. I wouldn't go so far as to say that using a nicer bourbon is a waste of bourbon, but maybe just what's the point, as the distinguishing features of an older, more complex bourbon would be muted or washed out by the other components of the Manhattan. But that's just me.

I actually tend to agree, but my phrasing above was less than felicitous. By "something fancier," I didn't mean "fancier than Maker's or Basil Hayden's"; I simply meant that these two are examples of "fancier" (i.e., relatively fancy) bourbons that I like in a Manhattan. I would be reluctant to go beyond them, too. I've done so once or twice, only to my regret at not noticing a difference, despite the extra cost. Usually, I'm just using Jim Beam Black and am quite happy with it. I even own a Jim Beam Black baseball cap, which in weaker moments I wear while preparing and consuming Manhattans. But so far not in public.

Giovanni, while Jim Beam Black and Makers Mark (sometimes Buffalo Trace)are my preferred bourbons (I like the higher proof) for strong cocktails like Manhattans, Old Fashioneds, and juleps, I find personally that the vermouth does not seem to make that much difference in a Manhattan.
This may sound heretical from someone who would not think of making a martini with any vermouth but Boissiere or Noilly Prat, but I find Gallo and G&D to work just fine for me in Manhattans. I won't turn down a Manhattan made with M&R, Stock, or Tribuno, I just don't think more expensive vermouth (or more expensive bourbons than I have mentioned) make for a better drink.
One thing to notice using European vermouths or aperitifs is that they may already have significant bitters in them-Punt e Mes or St Raphael for example. I'd add bitters anyway, but that might not be to everyone's liking.
Although I prefer the cocktail with bourbon, I too recall my parents almost always using Canadian Club or rye. Someone on this site has an old cocktail recipe book. I suspect that when the drink was invented bourbon was demode, consequently Canadian or rye was called for.

As someone who both has old bartenders’ manuals and was old enough to have been drinking cocktails in the 1960s, I have a somewhat different perspective on the Manhattan cocktail. Checking five bar guides or cookbooks with cocktail sections with the most recent copyright of 1961, stirring is the unanimous method of chilling. All use a dash of bitters, usually Angostura. Ratios of whiskey to vermouth vary, but the basic is two parts whiskey to one of sweet vermouth. IIRC Martini and Rossi was the preferred sweet vermouth in the 1960s. Dry Manhattans could go to four parts whiskey and one part dry vermouth. There were some intermediate versions using both sweet and dry vermouth.

The normal whiskey for mixed drinks was blended American whiskey unless specified otherwise. This was a mixture of aged whiskeys and neutral spirits (unaged spirits distilled at 160 proof or higher). IIRC most good brands used 30-40% whiskey. You could approximate the flavor by using 1/3 mid-range bourbon such as Jim Beam and 2/3 cheap vodka, which will give you a pretty good idea of why this stuff was generally mixed. Depending on the region, this was referred to as bourbon or rye under the assumption that the base whiskies were one or the other. The Playboy Gourmet (1961) in its recipe for manhattans noted: “Oddly, most devotees of this cocktail prefer blends to bonded liquor when making it. West of the Alleghenies, blended whiskey is used and the presumption is it’s a bourbon blend. Exactly the same bottled goods is deemed to be a rye blend in the East; accordingly, most Eastern bartenders will give you a Manhattan recipe calling for rye, whereas those in the Midwest and West will specify bourbon. If you use a blended American whiskey, you’re on safe ground no matter where you stand geographically.”

Straight rye whiskey was very rare outside Maryland. I am a little hazy on when Wild Turkey rye came in, but Old Overholt was the only other widely distributed brand. Old Overholt is quite pungent and assertive compared to any blend I have ever tasted.

Canadian whiskeys were popular in mixed drinks because they had a milder flavor and were a lot smoother. Some came from the fairly high percentage of wheat in the mash. Canada also permitted barrel aging what were essentially neutral spirits. Another factor was the many used bourbon barrels that found their way to Canada. Hiram Walker (Canadian Club) and Seagram (VO and Seven Crown) were major distillers on both sides of the border. I am sure that some of the prestige of Canadian whiskey went back to what was smuggled during prohibition and quality issues in American whiskey after prohibition was repealed.

The switch from brown spirits to white spirits and wine in the 1970s and early 1980s shifted the landscape considerably. A lot of people really didn’t care for the taste of whiskey and so drank whiskey with mixes that obscured the taste. These people switched to vodka and light rum while a younger generation never was exposed to the old standards. The whiskey cocktails being revived now are quite different from the cocktails with the same name in pre-1970 although I do not view a Manhattan made with a good bourbon as being a monstrosity like most of the so-called martinis these days.

An old curmudgeon who found single-malt Scotch and Armagnac over 40 years ago

ekreider wrote:Hiram Walker (Canadian Club) and Seagram (VO and Seven Crown) were major distillers on both sides of the border.

Hiram Walker is also (and this is somewhat food-related), the defendant in my favorite case from my contracts course in law school, Sherwood v. Walker. How can you not love a case when the first sentence is simply, "Replevin for a cow"? (Basically the case is about whether a contract can be rescinded when a cow sold for beef was later found to be with calf.)

ekreider wrote:Checking five bar guides or cookbooks with cocktail sections with the most recent copyright of 1961, stirring is the unanimous method of chilling. All use a dash of bitters, usually Angostura.

ek, what a fascinating series of observations and historical insights. Thanks so much (I drink; you do the research; perfect!).

Since JiminLoganSquare admitted to enjoying bourbon "bruised," I have indulged in vigorously shaken Manhattans over the past week, and I must admit, I have come to appreciate the softness of a beaten bourbon. Shaking takes the edge off, and the sharpness of a brown beverage is to be appreciated in its own right, of course, but on a hot afternnon, there's something to be said for the smooth, almost unfiltered apple cider look and feel of a well-shaken bourbon-based drink.

About bitters, I use more than a dash -- actually, being a bitter old man, I prefer a shake of bitters for every shot of component items (so if I have 2:1 bourbon to vermouth, I use three shots of bitters...because I like it that way).

David "Drinking Chivas Regal in a Four Dollar Room" Hammond

So I'm at Jay's Amore on Madison last night (please, don't ask why), and I order a Manhattan. I get a drink that SMELLS bad. It actually let off a stench. I drank a little, and couldn't finish more than two sips. I told the server, who brought me a wine (but did NOT take the "drink" off the tab). When the tab arrived, I saw that what I was served was a Southern Comfort with two cherries in it.

Vile.

Ridiculous.

Unforgiveable.

Jay's Amore
1330 W Madison
312-829-3333

wow!!!

never before, this thread... did i appreciate the deliberate considerations, given toward the delicate meldings of a rotgut whisky and a poisoned wine.

short of a slow IV drip... indeed, a delightful way of indulging in a heavy dose of sipping booze.

seriously tho, properly concocted... it is one fine and mighty (red meat) dinner cocktail.

jellobee wrote:rotgut whisky

Obviously, you have yet to explore the far reaches of rotgut (I'm talking Old Fitzgerald, Old Grandad, etc.)

I sipped some Wild Turkey for the first time the other day (usually it's in my Manhattan) and realized that it is a largely one-dimensional beverage, and thus very well suited to mixing with vermouth and cherries. There is little complexity, and actually not that much harshness, so it melds nicely with other ingredients. It remains my bourbon of choice for Manhattans.

hammond

When I was in Manhattan, recently, a buddy and I jumped on the subway right near the Waldorf-Astoria. We were ready to begin our evening and stopped in at the bar there for a drink.

I asked if they had any rye whiskey, thinking I'd order a classic Manhattan. All they had was Old Potrero. At $21 (ha!) I was going to pass, but that was only a five buck upcharge from Maker's, so I figured what the heck.

Not at all worth it, but for the experience, and even then, probably not. Darn good drink (well-made, thankfully) but as you might expect, the Old Potrero was not put to its best use. It was the 18th century style one, not the softer, 3-yr aged one. It's kind of a crazy place to stop for a cocktail, but $21 for OP seems like a better deal than $16 for MM.

I didn't ask if they had Wild Turkey.

The key components for my manhattan (and I always order them perfect, rocks- shoot me, I like my drink to stay cold and don't mind a touch of water in it)

Must be rye- none of this regular bourbon stuff- it doesn't have enough bite to cut through the vermouth
Vermouth must be good vermouth- if you're using Martini and Rossi I'm going to be unhappy
Cherry- don't put this candy ass clown nosed junk in my drink- use a real maraschino cherry marinated in maraschino booze or a sour cherry done in maraschino will do, if you don't have this give me a twist
Bitters- for the love of god have some decent bitters around- cherry bitters if you've got them will make me happy, but your cheap junk bitters ain't going to cut it.

3-4 parts rye to 1/2 part dry vermouth to 1/2 part sweet vermouth to a heavy dash of bitters, garnish with a real maraschino cherry or a twist.

jpschust wrote: but your cheap junk bitters ain't going to cut it.

What kind of bitters do you prefer?

David Hammond wrote:

jpschust wrote: but your cheap junk bitters ain't going to cut it.

What kind of bitters do you prefer?

For those that I make myself I keep the following bitters on hand to change the flavor as I feel it neccesary and for uses in old fashioneds and whatever else I create with my diabolical mind:

Branca Fernet Branca
Fee Old Fashioned
Luxardo Bitters
Nonino Amaro
Sazerac Peychaud
Suntory Regular
Van Wees Kruidenbitter

These are examples of great bitters

jpschust wrote:

David Hammond wrote:

jpschust wrote: but your cheap junk bitters ain't going to cut it.

What kind of bitters do you prefer?

For those that I make myself I keep the following bitters on hand to change the flavor as I feel it neccesary and for uses in old fashioneds and whatever else I create with my diabolical mind:

Branca Fernet Branca
Fee Old Fashioned
Luxardo Bitters
Nonino Amaro
Sazerac Peychaud
Suntory Regular
Van Wees Kruidenbitter

These are examples of great bitters

I'm surprised to see Fernet Branca on the list. For Manhattan bitters, I go for something more along the lines of Angostura bitters than an amaro...but why the heck not. Interesting approach.

Give it a whirl sometime- it gives it a very unique flavor. Try that one more with a twist than a cherry garnish- it's really good. I'm trying to make my own bitters but man is it odd to be working with some of these ingredients.

Good cherries can also be had at Old Town Tavern if you don't like the smokiness of the Matchbox.