If you’re just getting into cocktails, there’s a whole lot to take in. There are just so many drinks out there. Hell, there are “just so many” whiskey cocktails or, even more narrowly, bourbon ones. Still, we all have to start somewhere. And for many, that journey will begin with a classic old fashioned or Manhattan.
The old fashioned and Manhattan are the two most recognizable American whiskey cocktails. You’ll find them on every decent bar menu worldwide. They’re also very similar on paper — whiskey (often bourbon or rye) with a sweet additive, bitters, some orange, and a cherry. But they’re leagues apart concerning how they land on your palate/senses.
Since both whiskey cocktails offer something unique, we thought it was time to break down the differences. Below, we’ll be shining a light on what makes each of these cocktails a unique classic. We’re also adding recipes so you can get a handle on these at home. Let’s dive in!
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Part 1 — The Differences Between an Old Fashioned And Manhattan Cocktail
The very first step on this journey is understanding what a cocktail is. It’s a base spirit with a sweetener, a flavoring element, and water. That’s it. That’s in comparison to a “highball” — a base spirit with a fizzy soda, juice, or water mixed in. Whisky highballs, Rum and Cokes, Jack and Gingers, screwdrivers, 7 and 7s, etc. all fall into the latter category.
An old fashioned and a Manhattan follow the classic ideal of a cocktail to the letter — base spirit (American whiskey), sweetener (sugar or sweet vermouth), flavoring agent (bitters), and water (added when stirred with ice via dilution).
The key difference between these two cocktails is the sweetening agent. In an old fashioned, you’re relying on sugar. In a Manhattan, it’s sweet vermouth.
Back in the 1800s, people started ordering “old fashioned” cocktails because they got tired of overly wrought cocktails with too many ingredients. It became fashionable in the early 19th century to go back to the basics of spirit, sugar, flavoring, and water. Simple, direct, and — when done right — delicious. The old fashioned was created out of the “less is more” ethos.
As a quick sidebar, the “old fashioned” wasn’t just for whiskey back then either. People would ask for gin or brandy old fashioneds more than they ever would a whiskey one, as those two spirits were far more popular until the late 1800s. But we digress.
The Manhattan, on the other hand, started popping up around the 1860s in the American cocktail scene. Yes, it originated in Manhattan, likely around Broadway. The drink uses sweet vermouth — a floral and botanical fortified wine with sugar added — as both a sweetening and flavoring agent. The recipe is more about the influence of French and Italian vermouth on the American drinking experience than going back to basics like the old fashioned.
Lastly, there’s the way the drinks are served. More often than not, you’ll see a Manhattan served up in a cocktail glass. “Served up” doesn’t mean in a tall stemmed glass. It means serving the drink strained from the mixing/diluting ice into a fresh glass without ice. You can also call this served “neat.”
An old fashioned is served over ice in a rocks glass. You can mix the drink in the glass and it often is/was made and served that way to save time behind the bar. You will see old fashioneds mixed in a mixing glass and then poured over fresh ice too. But you’ll rarely see an old fashioned served up or neat.
That all said, you’ll see Manhattans served over rocks in a glass too. It’s a choice and rarer — but not outrageously outside of any norm. The same goes for a martini, by the way.
So, to reiterate, the main difference between an old fashioned and a Manhattan is the sweetener that’s used. An old fashioned uses sugar (raw granules, simple syrup, sugar cubes, etc.) whereas a Manhattan uses sweet vermouth. They’re both accented with Angostura Bitters, a touch of orange oils, and kissed with a brandied cherry at the end.
Here’s how to make both at home!
Part 2 — Old Fashioned and Manhattan Cocktail Recipes
Old Fashioned
Ingredients:
- 2 oz. bourbon whiskey
- 3 dashes of Angostura Bitters
- 0.25 oz. simple syrup
- Orange peel
- Cherry
- Ice
- Large ice cube
Here’s an axiom to live by in cocktail making: Always use great spirit as your base. In this case, I’m using Eagle Rare 10-year Bourbon. Yes, it’s a little harder to get but, wow, does it make an amazing old fashioned. The rest is easily available at any liquor store or grocery store.
If you don’t have access to Eagle Rare, then use Micther’s Small Batch Bourbon. It’s a delicious cocktail whiskey that’s very widely available nationwide.
What You’ll Need:
- Rocks glass
- Mixing jar/glass
- Cocktail strainer
- Jigger
- Pairing knife
- Barspoon
Method:
- Prechill your glass.
- Add the simple syrup, bitters, and bourbon to a mixing glass, and then add two large handfuls of ice.
- Stir the drink until the mixing glass is ice-cold to touch — about 20 seconds.
- Strain the drink into the prechilled glass over a large ice cube.
- Express the orange oils over the glass and drop in the peel with a dark cocktail cherry. Serve.
Bottom Line:
This is so creamy and delicious. There’s this layer of oaky earthiness (that Buffalo Trace vibe) that shines through the sweetness of the sugar that takes this drink to a whole new level.
Manhattan
Ingredients:
- 3 oz. bourbon whiskey
- 0.75 oz. sweet vermouth
- 2 dashes of Angostura Bitters
- Orange peel
- Cherry
- Ice
The star of the show in a Manhattan is the base whiskey, so I always make it a killer one. In this case, I’m using Michter’s 10-year Single Barrel Bourbon. Yes, it’s expensive and rare, but it makes an extraordinary cocktail. If you can’t access the Michter’s 10-year, replace it with the Michter’s Small Batch Bourbon. It’ll get the job done.
I’m using a lighter French vermouth. If we were still deep in winter, I’d replace that with a darker and more syrupy Italian vermouth.
What You’ll Need:
- Coupe or cocktail glass
- Mixing jar/glass
- Cocktail strainer
- Jigger
- Pairing knife
- Barspoon
Method:
- Prechill the glass in the freezer.
- Add the bourbon, sweet vermouth, and bitters in a mixing glass, and then a large handful of ice.
- Stir the drink until it’s ice-cold — about 20 to 30 seconds.
- Strain the cocktail into a prechilled glass, express the orange oils and discard the peel, and then add the cherry. Serve.
Bottom Line:
This is the drink to master. It’s uncutious, dark, and delicious. It goes down so easily. I guarantee that you’ll be making more of these throughout all of Bourbon Heritage Month.