A Black Manhattan is a Manhattan with the lights turned down. Swap the sweet vermouth for amaro, the dark, bitter Italian liqueur, and the whole drink goes richer and more bitter. It's a modern classic, first made in a San Francisco bar in the 2000s, and it's become the go-to for people who find a regular Manhattan a touch sweet.
Like the Manhattan it's based on, it's spirit-forward and stirred. The bitterness just comes from two places now: a dash of aromatic bitters, and the amaro standing in for the vermouth.
What you need
- 2 oz rye whiskey: rye's spice plays well against the amaro. Bourbon works too, a little rounder and softer.
- 1 oz amaro: Averna is the classic choice, dark and gentle. Any amaro works, and each one shifts the drink.
- 1 dash aromatic bitters: Angostura is standard, and a homemade aromatic bitters works beautifully here.
- A cocktail cherry: a good brandied one, for garnish. A lemon or orange twist works too.
Tools
A mixing glass (or any pint glass), a bar spoon, a strainer, and a chilled coupe or martini glass.
How to make it
- Chill your glass. Put the coupe in the freezer, or fill it with ice and water, while you build the drink.
- Combine everything but the cherry. Add the rye, amaro, and bitters to the mixing glass.
- Add ice and stir. Stir for about 30 seconds, until it's cold and slightly diluted. Stir, don't shake, to keep it clear.
- Strain into the chilled glass. Tip out the ice and strain the drink in. It's served up, no ice.
- Garnish with the cherry. Drop it in, or express a twist over the top instead.
Why it's a bitters drink
The Manhattan is already a bitters cocktail. The Black Manhattan doubles down. The amaro brings its own bitterness on top of the dashed bitters, and that's what makes it darker and drier than the original. If you like the bitter edge of an amaro, this is the drink built around it.
Make it yours
The amaro is the easiest change and the most fun. Averna is soft and caramel; Ramazzotti leans more herbal; a fierce one like Fernet turns the drink into something else entirely. A dash of orange bitters alongside the aromatic brightens it, and bourbon in place of rye softens the whole thing.
If you want to taste where the bitterness comes from, it starts with the bitters themselves: