Large-Batch Rye Manhattan co*cktails Recipe (2024)

4 cups of rye vermouth = 946mlA 750ml bottle won’t work.I found this out the hard way.

This makes slightly over 946ml. If you want it to fit in a 750ml bottle with no extra, the ratios are 486.5ml of rye whiskey, 243.5ml of red Italian vermouth, 19.7ml of Angostura bitters, and .3ml absinthe.

"Keeps for weeks at room temperature" - technically probably true but practically speaking, not at my house - sounds delicious!

Delicious. I loved the suggestion of anise (i used Pernod). I’d recommend also adding a teaspoon of cognac as it adds a subtle richness that ties everything together. Lastly, a twist of fresh lemon on the glass rim for freshness. Cheers.

Made as is you have 2 co*cktails for now and the rest in a 750ml bottle for later. I'd keep this in the freezer instead of room temp. Then you don't have to mess with ice.

One liter of liquid into a 750ml bottle? Looks like we got some drinkin' to do!

Old Overholt bonded rye or Rittenhouse bonded rye. Sweet (red) Vermouth is of Italian heritage so use a one from Italy like Cocchi from Torino, home of sweet Vermouths. Garnish with a Luxardo cherry—the Cadillac of Maraschino cherries. Lemon peel? Nah.

Next time cherries are in season, pit a bunch of them and marinate in bourbon or rye. Just keep them in the refrigerator. Then, when the holiday season swings around, they are the addictive addition to this very happily received gift. Unless, of course, you have already used them up.

If you happen to make your own Maraschino cherries, a jar of them (and maybe a couple of fresh lemons) would make a nice addition to a bottle of this.

High West double Rye or good old Bulliet rye. Also the right kind of vermouth is at least as important as the rye. I love Antica, and Dolin is fine also. I also use orange or cherry bitters.

Ah, but the coupe is far less likely to tip over than a top heavy martini glass. That’s why I never use them, even for martinis (which I drink from a Nick & Nora glass). Alcohol and tippy glasses are a dangerous mix.

Black Manhattan variation: 2/3 C Red Vermouth + 2/3 C Amaro

To prepare this a la Death & Company's house Manhattan, replace half the vermouth with Punt e Mes. It's delicious.

I'm curious about the addition of absinthe, which steers the drink towards New Orleans' boozier Manhattan cousin, the Vieux Carre. I'll add a few drops tonight to my pre-dinner co*cktail. IMO a Manhattan is vastly improved with a couple of drops of juice from Luxardo cherries. Go easy, it's got sweetness.

Cocchi is delicious - and Overholt is old-school and an affordable classic. Agree that Luxardo cherries are the best.I've also been playing around with Dolin sweet and dry vermouth for a perfect Manhattan

I would add another 1/3 cup sweet red vermouth into this recipie because otherwise its a little harsh. Didn't use Absinthe either.Also this needs to be in a 1L bottle not 750ml!!

Good Thanksgiving co*cktail. Easy and keeps for awhile. I used dry vermouth instead of sweet Italian vermouth and it resulted in very mellow flavors. I also did not use absinthe because I did not want to commit to a whole bottle when I might not like it.

I’m not a bourbon or rye lover (character flaw, I know). Substituted añejo tequila on a recommendation from a friend and love it! Try it!

We made this for our annual Pride party and let me tell you, there were some serious Manhattan drinkers there. It was a huge hit and we actually went through nearly two batches of this. Thank you, Melissa!

Great recipe. The absinthe adds a subtle touch. Very nice. I took a bottle as a hostess gift and it was gone by the end of the evening. Even non bourbon/Manhattan drinkers were imbibing and enjoying.

In a co*cktail book written by a bartender, I found the great tip to always add the bitters first. Then if you mess up or are at the end of a bottle and put more in than called for, you can toss the batch and not waste all that expensive liquor. Advice I wish I’d had before accidentally adding too much absinthe

Ooh I messed up and added too much absinthe (not sure how much because I shook to add a dash when the bottle is open top!), otherwise following the recipe as specified. Any ideas how to rescue this pitcher? I can taste and experiment but have no experience with countering too much absinthe

This appears to be pretty close to the typical ratios for a Waldorf co*cktail.

Only thing I’d suggest is to NOT leave this out at room temperature for weeks… even though it is mixed with a much strong alcohol the vermouth will still change in flavour if kept at room temp after being opened … also it’s much easier to imbibe straight from the fridge haha

I enjoy a little bit of Luxardo maraschino liqueur in my Manhattan.

For a change, try different flavored bitters. I like Fee Bros. cherry and peach. Orange Angusturo is good too. Not sure how they'll mix with the absinthe though if you're adding that.

I'm glad Mr Wondrich and Ms Clark don't specify a rye brand, as do many other recipes in the Times Cooking section. Conversely, it's silly to call for Italian vermouth. Blend any reasonably priced rye -- I use Old Overholt, which my wife refers to as "Old Overcoat" -- with a reasonably priced sweet vermouth -- I use Noilly Prat because I'm a hopeless Francophile -- and a dash of bitters and the flavors compliment each other with no unnecessary pretense or notion of terroir.

You will need more than a 750 ml bottle for this as it makes ~950 mls of co*cktail. So plan on one repurposed wine bottle for the party you are attending and a second half bottle for the fridge at home. Or build in enough time to have a few very generous samples so that you can figure out whether the absinthe is a good add or not...

Next time cherries are in season, pit a bunch of them and marinate in bourbon or rye. Just keep them in the refrigerator. Then, when the holiday season swings around, they are the addictive addition to this very happily received gift. Unless, of course, you have already used them up.

Basically it’s sazerac’s cousin from up north.