Merry Manhattan – Holiday Bourbon Cocktail

The Merry Manhattan Holiday Bourbon Cocktail is a festive twist on a classic Manhattan Cocktail featuring tart cranberry juice, Bourbon, and Sweet Vermouth. One sip of this Bourbon forward Christmas cocktail is sure to have everyone in the holiday spirit! Recipe makes one cocktail but scales easily for a crowd.

Today’s cranberry bourbon cocktail recipe is the newest in a series of three cranberry kissed Christmas cocktails. Can you tell that I love cranberries? They’re not just for Cranberry Sauce anymore.

While we’re talking bourbon cocktails, have you had a chance to try my Orange Spice Old Fashioned yet? The simple, yet warming blend of orange, bourbon whiskey, cinnamon, and cloves will quickly become one of your new favourite winter bourbon Christmas cocktails.

The Merry Manhattan

Oh, if only I could raise a toast and make merry with all of you this Christmas season! I guess we’ll have to settle for the next best thing… this cranberry kissed bourbon holiday cocktail! Believe me when I say this festive take on the classic Manhattan cocktail will put you in a festive mood.

Is it boozy? Yes. Since it contains bourbon whiskey and sweet vermouth, you’ll have no problem feeling a little jingle buzzed after a few sips! Is it sweet? Not really. Although, there is a touch of sweetness from the sweet vermouth just to balance the flavours.

I love tart bourbon-forward cocktails (like a whiskey sour) so I prefer to use unsweetened cranberry juice. However, if you prefer cocktails on the sweeter side, feel free to use sweetened cranberry juice or add 1/4 – 1/2 oz simple syrup to the recipe.

Finally, you’ll be happy to know it’s incredibly easy to whip up a batch of these drinks. You can’t have enough crowd friendly cocktail recipes at Christmas time!

What is a Manhattan Cocktail?

The classic Manhattan cocktail is an alcohol forward cocktail containing rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, bitters, and sometimes a touch of maraschino cherry liquid for sweetness. This vintage cocktail (c. 1860’s NYC) is usually stirred, then served in a cocktail glass or poured over ice in a rocks glass.

Bourbon whiskey, Canadian whisky, blended, and Tennessee whiskey may be used in place of rye whiskey while Angostura bitters may be replaced less often by orange bitters or Peychaud’s Bitters. The standard garnish is a maraschino or Luxardo cherry, but some bartenders prefer a lemon peel garnish.

Manhattans and Old Fashioned cocktails are fairly similar as they both can contain bourbon whiskey. However, an Old Fashioned is sweetened with sugar (and sometimes simple syrup) while a Manhattan contains sweet vermouth.

There are several Manhattan variations including the Black Manhattan (with Averna Amaro instead of sweet vermouth), Rob Roy (with Scotch Whisky), the Fanciulli (with Fernet-Branca), and the Manhattan Project (with cherry brandy) just to name a few.

Ingredients in a Merry Manhattan

• Bourbon
• Cranberry Juice
• Sweet Vermouth
• Angostura Bitters
• Ice
• Cranberries

As mentioned, unsweetened cranberry juice will make a tart cocktail while sweetened cranberry juice provides a touch of sweetness. Feel free to replace the cranberry juice with Pomegranate juice.

Angostura bitters can be replaced by Cranberry bitters, orange bitters, or Peychaud’s.

Frozen cranberries are a great option for garnish, especially if fresh cranberries aren’t available. They also help keep the drink cool without diluting it. For a holiday aroma, you can add a sprig of rosemary or thyme to the garnish along with the cranberries.

Besides the ingredients, you will need a cocktail mixer and cocktail spoon (or cocktail shaker with a strainer) to make this recipe. You can use a jigger to measure the alcohol but I prefer to use a graduated shot glass. Serve it in a chilled 6 oz. coupe glass or pour it over ice in a rocks glass.

If you want to make the cranberry garnish, you’ll need cocktail picks.

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What is Vermouth?

Vermouth is a fragrant fortified wine flavoured with botanical aromatics like roots, barks, flowers, seeds, herbs, and spices. The two most common are dry vermouth (used in martinis) and sweet vermouth (Manhattans) though other variations exist.

Fun fact: cocktail recipes using equal portions of dry and sweet vermouths are called perfect, as in a Perfect Manhattan. It is also worth noting that vermouth will oxidize over time and must be kept refrigerated and consumed within 3 months once opened.

How to Make a Merry Manhattan – Holiday Bourbon Cocktail

Always begin a cocktail recipe by preparing the glass and garnish. To rim the cocktail glass, run an orange or lemon wedge around the rim then dip the rim into granulated sugar. Chill glass in the freezer while you make the cocktail. Finally, thread fresh cranberries onto a cocktail pick and set aside.

In a cocktail mixing pitcher, combine the bourbon, cranberry juice, sweet vermouth, and bitters.

Fill the mixing pitcher with ice and stir well for about 20 – 30 seconds until the mixture is well chilled.

Strain the cocktail into a coupe or martini glass. Garnish and serve.

For a party, you can batch this cocktail by multiplying the recipe according to how many drinks you will need. Mix the whiskey, cranberry juice, and vermouth ahead of time and store it in the fridge. Stir and add the bitters when ready to serve.

Hi! I’m Bernice Hill and I am the sole recipe developer, photographer, and writer at Dish ‘n’ the Kitchen. It is my pleasure to share easy to follow recipes that are delicious, nutritious, and approachable for the whole family.

If you make this Holiday Bourbon Cocktail recipe, I’d love to hear about it in the comments section or in the ratings. Be sure to follow me on Facebook and Pinterest for my latest recipes. Also, if you do make this recipe please share your photos and tag me on Instagram. I hope you like this recipe!