Brandy Manhattan
Stir ∙ 3 min ∙ 27.9% ABV ∙
The Brandy Manhattan is a stirred spirit-forward cocktail made with Cognac in place of whiskey, plus rosso and dry vermouth and a dash of aromatic bitters. Fruity Cognac warmth leads, softened by vermouth's sweet-dry pull and a faint bitters spice, finishing dry and clean — a slow, sipping nightcap.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Stir all ingredients with ice: Cognac 60 mlRosso vermouth 20 mlDry vermouth 10 mlAngostura aromatic bitters 1 dash
- Fine strain into the chilled glass
- Garnish with a maraschino cherry
Tips
- Stir the cognac and both vermouths with ice for about 30 seconds to chill and dilute without clouding the drink, since shaking bruises the brandy's texture.
- Measure the rosso and dry vermouth separately before combining, as the 2:1 ratio between them balances sweetness against the cognac's richness.
- Use large, dense ice cubes for stirring to control dilution precisely; too much melt water will flatten the cognac's flavor in the final coupe pour.
- Strain into a pre-chilled coupe glass and drop in a single maraschino cherry last so it doesn't bleed color into the drink while stirring.
History
The Brandy Manhattan is a variation of the Manhattan, one of the most debated classics in cocktail history. Popular legend credits its creation to a bartender named Iain Marshall at the Manhattan Club in New York City in the mid-1870s, supposedly for a banquet held in honor of presidential candidate Samuel J. Tilden and hosted by Jennie Jerome, Lady Randolph Churchill; this account is widely doubted since she was pregnant and in Europe at the time. Cocktail historians instead give more credence to an account from a bartender named William F. Mulhall, recorded in the 1923 book Valentine's Manual of New York, crediting a man named Black, who ran a bar near Houston Street on Broadway sometime in the 1860s or 1870s; research has tied this figure to a George Black who operated the Manhattan Inn on Broadway from 1874 until 1881. Whichever story is true, the drink of whiskey, sweet vermouth, and bitters was in wide circulation by the early 1880s and appeared in print by 1884. The Brandy Manhattan swaps out the whiskey base for brandy or Cognac, a variation especially associated with Wisconsin; a closely related 19th-century brandy-and-vermouth drink called the Metropolitan was documented as early as 1884.
FAQ
What is a Manhattan with brandy called?
It is called a Brandy Manhattan. It follows the same stirred, spirit-forward structure as a classic Manhattan but swaps the whiskey base for Cognac, keeping the vermouth and bitters.
How do I make a brandy Manhattan?
Stir Cognac with rosso and dry vermouth and a dash of aromatic bitters over ice until well-chilled, then strain up into a coupe glass and garnish with a maraschino cherry. Stirring, rather than shaking, keeps the drink clear and silky instead of aerated.
What is the difference between a brandy Manhattan and a Manhattan?
The only difference is the base spirit: a classic Manhattan is built on whiskey, while a Brandy Manhattan uses Cognac instead, with the same vermouth and bitters. The whiskey version tends to read spicier and heavier, while Cognac brings a softer, fruitier backbone.
What's in a dirty Manhattan?
A dirty Manhattan is not part of this recipe; it typically refers to a Manhattan finished with a splash of olive brine or cherry brine for a savory edge, distinct from this build's rosso and dry vermouth combination.
What is a perfect brandy Manhattan?
A perfect Manhattan uses equal parts sweet and dry vermouth instead of only rosso, balancing the drink between rich and crisp. This build uses both rosso and dry vermouth in a rosso-forward split, closer to a semi-perfect style than a fully perfect one.
What is in a Brandy Manhattan?
Cognac, rosso vermouth, dry vermouth, and a dash of aromatic bitters, stirred and served up in a coupe glass with a maraschino cherry. The rosso vermouth leads, with dry vermouth added for a drier edge.
What glass is a Brandy Manhattan served in?
A coupe glass, served up with no ice, garnished with a maraschino cherry.
