Black Manhattan

The Black Manhattan has a bitter, herbal, warming, complex, dry flavor profile. A sophisticated twist on the classic Manhattan that swaps sweet vermouth for rich, herbal Averna amaro. This creates a deeper, more complex cocktail with notes of bitter herbs and dark fruit.

A Black Manhattan requires 4 ingredients: Rye whiskey or bourbon, Averna amaro, Angostura Bitters, Orange Peel.

A Black Manhattan takes about 3 minutes to prepare and is considered easy difficulty.

A Black Manhattan is traditionally served in a coupe, garnished with Orange peel twist.

Yes, you can make a mocktail version of the Black Manhattan by substituting the spirits with non-alcoholic alternatives such as seedlip, non-alcoholic distilled spirits, or flavored syrups and juices that mimic the original flavor profile.

The Black Manhattan emerged during the early 2000s craft cocktail renaissance, when bartenders began experimenting with amaro as a vermouth substitute in classic recipes. While the exact creator is debated, many credit Todd Smith at Bourbon & Branch in San Francisco with popularizing this variation around 2005. The cocktail gained traction as Italian amari became more widely available in American bars, coinciding with a growing appreciation for bitter flavors in cocktail culture. Averna, with its approachable sweetness and moderate bitterness, proved to be the perfect amaro for this application. The drink represents a broader movement in mixology that embraces the Italian tradition of digestivi while respecting American whiskey heritage. Today, the Black Manhattan has become a modern classic, appearing on sophisticated cocktail menus worldwide and inspiring countless other amaro-based variations of traditional recipes.