The Citrus Manhattan Cocktail

By
Lance Mayhew
Lance Mayhew
Award-winning mixologist, freelance cocktail columnist, and author of the book "Whisky Made Me Do It."
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 04/8/21
Oriental Cocktail

The Spruce / Shannon Graham

Prep: 3 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 3 mins
Serving: 1 serving
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
225 Calories
1g Fat
33g Carbs
4g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 225
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1g 2%
Saturated Fat 0g 1%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 259mg 11%
Total Carbohydrate 33g 12%
Dietary Fiber 3g 10%
Total Sugars 11g
Protein 4g
Vitamin C 6mg 30%
Calcium 37mg 3%
Iron 1mg 7%
Potassium 146mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This citrusy twist on a Manhattan cocktail is a classic recipe originally published in "The Savoy Cocktail Book." It was created by an American engineer stationed in the ​Philippines in 1924. He originally named it "The Oriental," but there's nothing specifically Asian about the ingredients.

Nevertheless, this cocktail is easy to prepare and surprisingly tasty. Featuring the spiciness of rye whiskey cut with orange liqueur, sweet vermouth, and lime juice, it is a sort of hybrid of the Manhattan and sidecar. We think you'll find it to be a delightful drink.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 ounces rye whiskey

  • 3/4 ounce sweet vermouth

  • 3/4 ounce orange liqueur

  • 1/2 ounce lime juice

  • 1 cherry for garnish

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Add all ingredients in a mixing glass or cocktail shaker.

  3. Add ice and shake vigorously.

  4. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

  5. Garnish with a cherry. Serve and enjoy.

Tips

  • The choice of whiskey should be well thought out. A robust, flavorful rye whiskey shines in this drink.
  • Sweet vermouth is a fortified wine and doesn't have the shelf life of liquor. If your bottle has been open for longer than 3 months, it is likely losing flavor or has already gone stale and should be replaced.
  • For the orange liqueur, a top-shelf triple sec or orange curaçao is the best choice.
  • Fresh lime juice is key to finding the cocktail's balance of sweet and sour. The original recipe, called the Oriental cocktail, from Harry Craddock's 1930 edition of "The Savoy Cocktail Book" called for "juice from half a lime." That can be misleading because every lime is going to yield a different amount of juice. As this obscure cocktail reclaimed its space in the modern drinking sphere, bartenders have come to agree that 1/2 ounce of lime juice is the perfect fit.

How Strong Is the Cocktail?

When made with 100 proof rye whiskey and 80 proof orange liqueur, this drink is very strong. Its alcohol content will fall in the range of 29 percent ABV (58 proof) which is average for this style of cocktail.