Rye Port Manhattan Cocktail

Given the gloomy, chilly spring weather we’ve been having here, my cocktail game has had more of a fall vibe, and it seemed time for me to finally tackle one of the great classic cocktails, the Manhattan.  Since I can’t ever just do the thing straightforward, I’m going with a rye port Manhattan.

Because, here’s the thing—I don’t like Manhattans.  I think it’s because of the sweet vermouth that provides the distinctive flavor, which I don’t like.  So I went looking for a Manhattan without vermouth, something that maintains that iconic flavor but that I actually *like*.  Enter delicious ruby port…

What is a Manhattan cocktail?

The standard Manhattan has remained remarkably consistent over the nearly 150 years it’s been around.  A basic Manattan is two parts rye whiskey, one part sweet vermouth, two dashes of bitters, and served “up” (chilled but no ice) with a cherry or twist (lemon peel). 

The original might have actually been equal parts rye and vermouth, which for someone like me who does NOT like vermouth or sweet vermouth sounds especially gross.

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Any quality rye whiskey should work great here (and honestly you can sub bourbon if you need, though it won’t be quite as traditional).  I had a couple different rye whiskies on hand, but ended up trying out my Old Forester rye for the first time. 

Full disclosure, I work for the company that makes Old Forester, which is why I have it on-hand, but this isn’t an ad in any way, nor are they affiliated with this blog.  It’s this job that’s made me get so much more interested in cocktail culture and recipes.  And I got a little carried away with how the green and gold on the bottle photographed…

Place the ice in a small tumbler or cocktail shaker and pour all the ingredients over it.  Give it a few strong stirs to combine (do NOT shake). 

Serve in a rocks glass, either with a large ice cube (so it doesn’t melt quickly) or without ice at all.  An orange peel or brandied cherry can be a nice garnish on this…though I completely forgot that this time.  Magnus is noticing my oversight…

While it won’t replace the Old Fashioned in my heart anytime soon, this port Manhattan cocktail is a really cool and delicious twist on the classic!

Other boozy adventures you’ll enjoy:

• Blood Orange Elderflower Gin Cocktail
• Fizzy Rosemary Gin Gimlet
• “River Boyne Fizz”, An Irish Whiskey Cocktail
• Bourbon Milk Punch Cocktail
• Preservation Punch:  A Whiskey Cocktail for Fall

Rye Port Manhattan Cocktail

Yield: 1 serving

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

A restrained yet boozy take on a classic Manhattan cocktail, using port instead of sweet vermouth

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Ingredients

• 2 ounces of rye whiskey (I had Old Forester's on hand)
• 1 ounce of port (any type is fine, I like the classic ruby)
• 3 dashes of orange bitters
• Ice for chilling (a small handful will do)
• Optional:  orange peel or brandied cherry for garnish

Instructions

1. Place the ice in a small tumbler or cocktail shaker and pour all the ingredients over it. 
2. Give it a few strong stirs to combine (do NOT shake). 
3. Serve in a rocks glass, either with a large ice cube (so it doesn't melt quickly) or without ice at all.  An orange peel or brandied cherry can be a nice garnish on this.

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• 
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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 165

Recipe idea from @drinkidea.recipes and @basilandbubbly on Instagram

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