Name: Manhattan (Dry)
Total time: 3 min
Cuisine: Cocktail
Ingredients: 30 ml Rye whiskey 50% abv; 30 ml Bourbon whiskey; 30 ml Dry vermouth; 6 drop Abbott's bitters

Manhattan (Dry)
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Glass:

Photographed in an Urban Bar 1910 Retro Coupette 15cl

Ingredients:
1 fl oz	Straight rye whiskey (100 proof /50% alc./vol.)
1 fl oz	Bourbon whiskey
1 fl oz	Strucchi Dry Vermouth chilled
6 drop	Bob's Abbotts bitters optional

Read about cocktail measures and measuring

Prepare:

Select and pre-chill a COUPE GLASS.
Prepare garnish of lemon zest twist.

How to make:

STIR all ingredients with ice.
FINE STRAIN into chilled glass.

Garnish:

EXPRESS lemon zest twist over the cocktail and use as garnish.

Allergens:

Recipe contains the following allergens:

Dry vermouth - Sulphur Dioxide/Sulphites

Strength & taste guide:

No alcohol

Medium

Boozy

Sweet

Medium

Dry/sour

More cocktails with similar strength and taste profile

Review:

A bone-dry Manhattan for those with dry palates. If you like Dry Martinis, then this could be for you.

View readers' comments

Variations/similar cocktails:

Served over ice in an old-fashioned glass.
Medium Dry Manhattan
Perfect Manhattan
Sweet Manhattan

History:

Manhattan cocktail history

Nutrition:

One serving of Manhattan (Dry) contains 176 calories

Alcohol content:

1.9 standard drinks
29.69% alc./vol. (59.38° proof)
26.8 grams of pure alcohol

Difford’s Guide remains free-to-use thanks to the support of the brands in green above. Values stated for alcohol and calorie content, and number of drinks an ingredient makes should be considered approximate.

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J S

15th July at 00:23

The suggestion to use Abbott's bitters is excellent and the lemon twist is essential.

Simon Difford

18th July at 16:54

Agreed. I've amended the above recipe accordingly and split the whiskey between rye and bourbon.

Alan F Pye

5th April at 23:37

A happy surprise sub for a gin Dry Martini. Buffalo Trace bourbon + Noilly Prat dry vermouth 2:1. No bitters at all but kalamata olives on a pick for garnish. Woof! Next up, Manhattan (sweet) same bourbon. Onward!

Tony Jones

15th February at 17:51

Really interesting.
It's maybe too unbalanced to be a favourite( "Dry" in the title) but an enjoyable diversion.
It starts out like a regular Manhattan, and then the massive dryness comes in, like a Sirocco.
The vermouth pushes the bourbon tastements forward. Smashing.
(101, Noilly Pratt, Angostura)

MiRiNaeJM

1st October 2025 at 12:28

I don't like aromatic bitters because they literally make the drink bitter. I’d rather use 2 dashes of orange bitters and 4 drops of Abbott’s Bitters and lemon peel for garnish. I should call it a Bourbon Martini.

John Hinojos

16th August 2025 at 02:28

Only had enough Bourbon for half the cocktail. Used a mixture of Rye and Bourbon. Used Peychaud Bitters instead. Wonderful.

Sc'Eric

18th May 2025 at 09:49

For you naysayers out there, adjust your vermouth with a bit of Bonal gentiane-quina... and choose Bittered Sling "Kensington" bitters--which has a hint of celery seed. Finished with a lemon twist, this Dry Manhattan sings:

DRY MANHATTAN w/ Rye Whiskey
(Coupe glass, chilled)
~ 0.50 Dry vermouth (Dolin)
~ 0.50 Bonal Gentiane-quina
~ 1-dsh Kensington bitters (Bittered Sling)
~ 2.00 Rye whiskey (James E. Pepper; Rittenhouse + Sagamore)
Stir. Strain in to a chilled coupe.
~ Swath of Lemon, expressed.

Chris Dimal

12th March 2024 at 08:30

If you have a wet palate, this is masochism. Probably the cocktail I regret making the most. This will be a struggle to drink...

John Hinojos

24th October 2022 at 04:19

We thought this was outstanding as an evening sipper. Like the spirit forwardness of the cocktail as well as being very, very dry. I find Manhattans a little sweet, but this was perfect for me. Not for the shy or casual drinker.