I have my own ideas about the ultimate cocktail, but it's the Sazerac
Correct - the Sazerac & Daiquiri are my two go-to's and something I never tire of. If I got stuck only having those for the rest of my cocktail-life, I'd be very satisfied. And if I only got stuck with one, I'd be a little sad, but be alright.
which is really easy to get right
Tell that to 98% of bars and restaurants that mess it up. I find it pretty tricky to find one that 1) gets the bitters right, 2) chooses their base spirit well (it should be a rye with a strong spice backbone and preferably some menthol-y notes from the grain), 3) nail the absinthe / herbsaint rinse, 4) get the sweetness right, 5) serve it cold enough, 6) don't serve it on ice, 7) don't overdo the lemon, & 8) don't do other silly stuff to it. I pretty much only drink them at home unless I know the individual bartender making my drink well enough to trust them.
Ever since I met a man who had devoted much of his life energy to the study and worship of the Manhattan cocktail, I've put it in a special category in my mind, as the ultimate cocktail, the thing to pursue, the Valhalla.
I enjoy a Manhattan, but it's not my tippy top choice. But it definitely is a classic for a reason - a supremely good thing to sip longingly as a digestif or to wind down an evening.
So what's in your perfect Manhattan? There must be a simpler way. What's yours?
I did quite a bit too much cocktail-ing in my late-teens and early-twenties and the Manhattan was one of my first projects. Even if I prefer a range of other drinks for this occasion these days - Bijou, Widow's Kiss, Brooklyn, Greenpoint, Red Hook, Gin & it, etc. - it is a drink worth pursuing!
The biggest key to success is matching your whisky and vermouth. Always need to start there, because if those two don't work well together, you're ****** from the start. While the esoteric vermouths can be utterly delicious in their own right, I tend to find them tricky to pair whiskies with on their own or otherwise I find the delicate notes that make them special simply get drowned out in the cocktail as a whole. In my experience, the two safest bets for vermouth are Cocchi & Martini Rossi (don't let its mass market fool you, this is properly good stuff). Carpano is a classic recommendation that I'll push back on - it's a total bully in drinks and best served on its own with an orange twist. Cocchi brings a chocolatey sweetness that works well with some whiskies and drowns out others. Martini Rossi is cleaner and can really highlight the cherry notes in some ryes or bourbons.
Personally, I suggest finding a rye (bourbon is acceptable too, but I generally prefer rye) you like to drink straight but also isn't in the category of spirit you'd want to linger over in its own right. For me, High West double rye or any overproof Wild Turkey usually is perfect - great balance of spice, proof, quality, and price. From there, work on finding the vermouth that fits it best. Usually I will try with Martini / Cocchi as a 50/50 mixed shot and pretty quickly know which I prefer.
From there you need to get the ratio right. 2:1 w/ 2 dashes of bitters is the classic, but depending on the whisky you need to adjust. I like to tweak starting in 0.25oz increments (2.25 : 0.75 : 2 dashes) and continue tweaking from there. I want something whisky forward with just enough vermouth to bring some winey character and round sweetness.
Bitters, of course, is another rabbit hole... It's pretty rare that I find bitters beyond Angostura & Peychauds that I really like, so I tend to stick to Angostura in a Manhattan and other classic cocktails. If I find a pairing of whiskey and vermouth that is very good but missing some element for my palate, I might sub bitters to help there, but bitters I see more as tweaking once you already have a great base.
The next step is managing dilution during stirring. Having good ice helps, but isn't necessary. What's key is developing an eye for viscosity and knowing when the drink has hit its proper dilution. Of course, you can also skip this step by making your cocktail several hours before, adding water, storing it in the freezer, and just pouring into your glass when ready.
WHEW that turned into a whole rant dinnit...
For the Manhattan, I have one last suggestion for those who really enjoy it. Making your own solera! I have a bottle of premixed Manhattan in my fridge constantly. When the bottle gets 1/2 full, I batch up more with whatever my tastes at that moment enjoy and add it to the bottle. Been doing this for almost a decade now. There must be traces of 20 different whiskies, a cognac or two, a half dozen vermouths, a few flavors of bitters, and probably even an amaro or two floating around in that bottle melding together. It's a different drink than a fresh Manhattan, but for me even better as everything has a chance to marry together and mellow. The extra proof from the whisky limits the oxidation of the vermouth but doesn't stop it. It's less nakedly fruity and more dried stone fruit if that makes any sense.
