1914 Manhattan

The Manhattan was a disparate, but powerful, force for the first thirty or so years of its existence. In the years just before Prohibition, and through the ‘30s, the recipe begins to solidify its 2:1 ratio, the bitters overwhelmingly Angostura, and the garnish is usually a cherry. This recipe from Jacques Straub’s Drinks (1913-14) is the earliest I can find that unequivocally calls for bourbon instead of rye.

INGREDIENTS

2 oz. bourbon (or rye)
1 oz. sweet vermouth
2 dashes Angostura bitters
Cocktail cherry, for garnish

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ABV LEVEL

Combine everything in a mixing glass. Fill three-quarters with ice and stir for 20 seconds. Strain into a stemmed cocktail glass. Garnish with a good-quality cocktail cherry on a pick.