Quarantine Cocktail No. 2: Manhattan

We continue our Quarantine Cocktail series with another classic: the Manhattan. This was my grandparents' cocktail of choice, which led to my parents drinking it, which led to me enjoying it. 

The Manhattan is another very simple drink that doesn't take very long to make and has few ingredients. It's a spirit-forward cocktail, so if you like something a little more diluted, this isn't the drink for you. 

While the Old Fashioned can be made using either bourbon or rye whiskey, the Manhattan is almost exclusively made with rye. Rye has a bit more spice and is a little drier than bourbon, and you can really taste the difference in this drink. 

I used a rye whiskey from Ragged Branch, a distillery near Charlottesville, Va. It's always made a good drink and has become one of my favorite whiskies to use for a Manhattan. Some other good ones out there are James E. Pepper 1776 Rye, Bulleit Rye and Knob Creek Straight Rye Whiskey. 

Manhattan

Ingredients
2 oz. rye whiskey
1 oz. sweet vermouth
2 dashes Angostura bitters (I've also used orange bitters for this drink, which gives it a subtle citrus flavor)

Directions
1. Chill a cocktail glass in the freezer. About 30 minutes is enough time to get it cold enough
2. Mix rye, vermouth and bitters together in a cocktail shaker or glass with ice. Stir
3. Strain mixture into chilled cocktail glass
​4. Enjoy!