Food Recipes How To Make a Classic Manhattan Cocktail 4.0 (1) Add your rating & review A Manhattan cocktail requires only three ingredients: whiskey, sweet vermouth, and Angostura bitters, plus a sweet cherry garnish. Purists will argue that rye whiskey is the non-negotiable spirit of choice to use—it lends a spicy, slightly smoky flavor—but those who prefer a more mellow, smooth cocktail can swap in bourbon. To get super swanky, rub the rim of your cocktail glass with a fresh lemon peel before serving and look for high-quality cocktail cherries, like those from Luxardo. By Betty Gold Betty Gold Betty Gold is the former senior digital food editor at Real Simple. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Published on August 17, 2020 Rate PRINT Share Close Photo: Bradley Olson / EyeEm/Getty Images Hands On Time: 5 mins Total Time: 5 mins Yield: 1 cocktail Ingredients 2 ounces rye whiskey or bourbon 1 ounce sweet vermouth 2 - 3 dashes Angostura bitters 1 maraschino cherry, for garnish Directions Add the whiskey, sweet vermouth, and bitters to a chilled cocktail glass or shaker filled with ice. Stir until well-chilled. Strain the mixture into your serving glass; add one large ice cube and garnish with the cherry. Rate It Print