Brandy takes the familiar Manhattan formula somewhere smoother. Instead of rye's spice you get dried apricot, raisin and a gentle oak, wrapped in rich vermouth and a couple of dashes of bitters. A dark cherry at the bottom of the glass is the reward.
2 oz
brandy
1 oz
sweet vermouth
2 dash
Angostura bitters
Garnish: Cocktail cherry and lemon twist · Ice: Served up, no ice
Brandy Manhattan
Round and fruity, with dried fruit, vanilla and oak from the brandy, dark herbal sweetness from the vermouth and a spicy bitters finish. Strong and silky.
The Manhattan appeared in New York in the late nineteenth century, originally made with rye whiskey. Swapping the base spirit is an old habit: brandy versions show up in early bar books, just as the Martinez and Rob Roy grew from the same template of spirit, vermouth and bitters.
The Brandy Manhattan has a particularly loyal following in the American Upper Midwest, above all in Wisconsin, where brandy has long been the preferred spirit in supper clubs and taverns. It is not an IBA drink, though the IBA recipe for the Manhattan offers the same structure with rye.
No. The IBA lists the Manhattan with rye whiskey; the brandy version is a traditional variation.
Cognac is a brandy from a specific French region. Any good grape brandy works.
Stirred. It contains no juice, so stirring gives a clear, silky drink.
The perfect sound
Smoky, mellow and effortlessly smooth.
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