“It is THE classic, sophisticated cocktail.” - John Harpur
Mirroring the glittering towers that populate the landscape of its namesake, the Manhattan is an outstanding cocktail that looms in a majestic grandeur all its own. It might as well be called an ‘Old Manhattan’ the way its roots reach back to the second half of the nineteenth century. Based on surviving documentation, this iconic blend of amber spirits and vermouth has been shaken with ice and poured for over one hundred and fifty years.
The paradox of reporting on the invention of extremely popular food and drink classics is the twofold concern that (1) different individuals lay claims for personal gains and (2) it’s worth valuing the probability that different people around the same time had epiphanies leading to matching basic elements and changing the game forever after. Reference the ongoing debates over who to credit for the creation of pasta, chicken wings or the Flamin’ Moe, for example.
The due-diligence to trace the invention of the Manhattan has now hereby been completed and unfolds before your eyes. You are by all means encouraged to impress your friends in retelling this narrative the next time Manhattans are cheered. If anyone questions your sources for proof you can remind them the truth is in the eye - or in this case the v-shaped martini glass - of the beholder.
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