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Loading...The Black Manhattan cocktail is the perfect example of how the Manhattan pulls off the magic trick of both providing a blueprint and somehow a blank canvas for the creation of variations of the original. It was first created in 2005 by bartender Todd Smith of San Francisco’s Cortez bar, and his modification was simple, clean, and wonderfully dark. Smith swapped out the sweet vermouth for Averna, a relatively obscure amaro at that time that has many qualities to recommend itself.
Among amaros, Averna is known to be on the bitter side of sweet, but with the nuance of citrus, star anise, and vanilla in its utterly unique flavor profile (Smith amplified this lovely complexity by also adding a dash of orange bitters). The other thing about Averna? It’s a deep dark brown, making the Black Manhattan not only a beautiful cocktail to drink but to behold.
Looking for the Classic Manhattan? Try the recipe.
Bar Tools
- Mixing glass
- Strainer
To Serve: chilled coupe glass
Ingredients (One Serving)
- 2 ounces rye whiskey
- 1 ounce Averna amaro
- 1 dash Angostura bitters
- 1 dash orange bitters
To Garnish: brandied cherry
How to Make
Pour the rye whiskey, Averna, Angostura and orange bitters into a mixing glass with ice. Stir. Strain into a glass.
Nutritional Facts and ABV
- ABV (alcohol by volume): 33%
- Calories: 223
- Total carbohydrates: 7 grams
- Total added sugar: 7 grams
History
The Manhattan is one of the oldest, most influential, and enduringly popular cocktails in drink history. Many origin stories have been offered, but the one with the strongest ring of truth came from a book called “A Valentine’s Manual of New York” written by William F. Mulhall, a bartender at New York’s Hoffman House in the 1880s. “The Manhattan cocktail was invented by a man named Black, who kept a place ten doors below Houston Street on Broadway in the [eighteen-] sixties—probably the most famous drink in the world in its time,” Mulhall wrote. A man named Black: while variations on this simple but deep classic are myriad, has there ever been a more apt one than the Black Manhattan?
FAQ
What kind of whiskey should I use for a Black Manhattan?
Rittenhouse rye is a great choice for any type of black or regular Manhattan.
What is Averna amaro?
Averna was first concocted by monks as an elixir for good health. The recipe includes a variety of herbs, roots, spices, pomegranates, and essential oils from bitter oranges, and a process in which all the ingredients were doused with pure alcohol to bring out their flavors.
