The Perfect Manhattan splits the classic's vermouth evenly between sweet (Italian) and dry (French), tempering the original's richness into something cleaner and a touch more savory while keeping its rye-and-bitters spine. Like the Manhattan it descends from, its origins are tangled in 1870s New York lore and likely-apocryphal legend; the "perfect" build emerged as bartenders learned to balance the two vermouths. Stirred cold and served up with an expressed lemon twist, it drinks bracing and composed.
Garnish: Lemon Peel
Stirred · Coupe · None
add
Combine rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, dry vermouth, and bitters in a mixing glass over ice.
stir
Stir well until thoroughly chilled and properly diluted.
strain
Strain into a chilled coupe or cocktail glass, served up.
garnish
Express a lemon twist over the surface and drop it in (a cocktail cherry is the traditional alternate).