Reverse Manhattan

A Reverse Manhattan is similar to a Classic Manhattan but it's very Sweet Vermouth forward. In fact, the ratios of Rye and Vermouth are reversed! Hence the name of course...

Since there's less Rye and more Vermouth, this version of the cocktail has less alcohol and is a lot smoother; a good cocktail if you want some moderation but still want to enjoy something tasty. Of course it's not as low alcohol as some lower alcohol cocktails, but better than some!

Total Time 3

Servings 1 cocktail

Ingredients

60 mL Sweet Vermouth
30 mL Rye Whiskey Bourbon can work too if you prefer
2 dashes Angostura Bitters
1 dash Orange Bitters
Garnish with a cherry

Instructions

Add Rye, Sweet Vermouth, and Bitters to a mixing glass with plenty of ice. Stir until cold and mixed.
Strain into a Coupe glass.
Garnish, serve, and enjoy.

Notes

A Reverse Manhattan comes out on the slightly sweet side, but not overly so. It should still be enjoyable to those who don't like sweet cocktails. With the addition of the Bitters, there's quite a lot of flavour here. That, complimented by the Rye, ensures this cocktail isn't just Sweet Vermouth served in a Martini glass. A Reverse Manhattan is so much more than that. It's a fun cocktail for your menu. Have a go.

More on the Reverse Manhattan

If you like a Manhattan you’ll either love or hate the Reverse Manhattan. Either you think that the Manhattan is perfect and well balanced the way it is, so why change it, or you really like the Manhattan and appreciate the different spin on it. If you’re into the Reverse Manhattan, perhaps it’s not the cocktail you come to every single time you make a drink, but it suits a great purpose when you’re craving a tasty cocktail that’s a little bit sweet but still has that great Rye Whiskey flavour you love.

But if you haven’t tried a Reverse Manhattan before, make one now. Find out for yourself what camp you sit in.

Would it work to make more than one Reverse Manhattan at once?

Yes, you can make a few of these cocktails at the same time. Upping a recipe works well stirred cocktails since it’s just a matter of increasing everything and mixing it as usual.

So have fun, make a whole bunch of these and see how you go. You’ll be able to make plenty of cocktails, not just for yourself, but for your guests as well.

Would making a batch of Reverse Manhattans in advance work?

Yes, if you whip up a few of these and store them in the fridge, without ice, they should be able to keep for awhile. That way you’ll have cocktails ready to serve when your guests arrive.

Is there a perfect time for a Reverse Manhattan?

Like the standard Manhattan, the Reverse Manhattan is a nice drink when you’re with other people. Whether you’re at a bar or a nice cocktail party, it’s the type of drink you have when moving around, mingling, and socialising. Maybe it’s that the Reverse Manhattan is based on one of the top classic cocktails or that it just looks really good, but it’s just one of those drinks that you want at a cocktail party.

We also think that the standard Manhattan is a nice drink to have after dinner, maybe even the last drink you have in the evening as a bit of a nightcap. Since the Reverse Manhattan is a fair bit sweeter than the original, it’s a nice drink to sip on while you let you food digest.

How strong is the Reverse Manhattan?

The Reverse Manhattan is just starting to skirt the edges of what we’d consider a lower alcohol cocktail. It has half the Rye Whiskey of classic Manhattan, but it also has a pretty generous helping of Sweet Vermouth which, while it’s not nearly as strong as the Rye, still has alcohol in it. So yes, the Reverse Manhattan is a fair bit lower in alcohol than a lot of other cocktails out there, but we’re not going to say it’s a “low alcohol cocktail.”

We’re going to say it sits somewhere between an average strength cocktail and a low alcohol cocktail; probably right in the middle of the two.

What kind of music goes best with a Reverse Manhattan?

We’re going to follow in the footsteps of the classic Manhattan here and go with Bebop Jazz as the music of choice for the Reverse Manhattan. Sorry to keep moving back to the original cocktail here, but, while the Reverse Manhattan is a wonderful cocktail, it’s such a small departure from the original that we can make the same conclusions about it when it comes to attitude. We might move slightly away from Bebop Jazz though and more towards Modern Jazz, but nothing too experimental or strange. You can have a good dinner in a lot of Jazz clubs and, as mentioned, this is a nice cocktail to end the night on after eating. Maybe you’re in a Jazz club, you’ve enjoyed dinner, and just want one more drink. Have a Reverse Manhattan for dessert as you hear the band close out their set.

If you liked the Reverse Manhattan, we have some more cocktail recipes for you

There’s a lot of ways to browse this website. Whether you browse in the more traditional sense, check out our cocktail recipe generator, or would like a little more direction, it’s up to you! If you’d like direction, take a look below for some site sections we think will interest you.

All Rye Whiskey cocktail recipes: Rye is a great spirit for cocktails! If you liked this recipe, perhaps you’ll like some other recipes that use Rye.

All Whiskey cocktail recipes: or if you want to expand on things just a little bit, take a look at all the Whiskey cocktail recipes we have to offer.

Top 10 whiskey cocktail recipes: we also have a list of some of the Whiskey cocktails we like the best. Hopefully you agree with us!