The Grand Manhattan Cocktail

By
Colleen Graham
Photo of Colleen Graham
Colleen Graham
Freelance writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 07/29/21
Tested by
Sean Michael Johnson
Photo of Sean Michael Johnson
Tested by Sean Michael Johnson
Sean is an award-winning bartender with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He is the head bartender at the two-Michelin-star restaurant, Gabriel Kreuther, crafting cocktail menus that have caught international attention. To date, he has made over 1 million cocktails, and counting.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
The Grand Manhattan Cocktail

The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

Prep: 3 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 3 mins
Serving: 1 serving
Yield: 1 cocktail

Sweet, delicious, and filled with citrus, The Grand Manhattan is a spectacular new twist on the traditional whiskey Manhattan and it is sure to brighten up your day or night.

This recipe is from The Gallery Bar at the Millenium Biltmore. In the Grand Manhattan, orange is the featured flavor, using both an orange liqueur and orange juice. Grand Marnier is the original liqueur of choice and puts the "Grand" in this Manhattan, though other brandy-based orange liqueurs are good substitutes. The drink is best with a robust, 100-proof bourbon. In true Manhattan fashion, sweet vermouth is included as well and the orange garnish is fun to make, so be sure to use it.

This Manhattan is a fantastic option for any occasion and you may want to consider it for brunch as well.

Ingredients

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    The Grand Manhattan Cocktail ingredients

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  2. In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, pour bourbon, orange liqueur, sweet vermouth, and orange juice.

    ice, bourbon, orange liqueur, sweet vermouth, and orange juice in a cocktail shaker

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  3. Shake vigorously for 30 seconds.

    shake a cocktail shaker

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  4. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

    Strain the cocktail into a chilled cocktail glass

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  5. Garnish with candied orange peel or caramelized orange wheel.

    The Grand Manhattan Cocktail in a cocktail glass

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

Tips

  • Quality is key to simple drinks such as this. For the best tasting Manhattan, use top-shelf distilled spirits.
  • The one ingredient that is going to make or break this cocktail is the orange juice. Fresh-squeezed orange juice is going to be much better than any bottled juice you can buy and at only 1 ounce per drink, it will not take much effort. The average orange yields about 2 to 3 ounces, so one fruit should be sufficient for a full round of drinks if not two.

How to Caramelize an Orange Wheel

This caramelized orange wheel is a fun way to bring a little life to the average citrus garnish and it takes just a few minutes to create. If you like, prepare a few of these ahead of time and, of course, always be careful when playing with fire.


  1. Cut one orange wheel and toss it in granulated sugar to coat.
  2. Place it on aluminum foil or another non-flammable surface.
  3. Using a hand-held propane torch, lightly caramelize the sugar by passing the torch flame 1 to 2 inches over the surface of the orange.
  4. Allow to cool, flip over, and repeat.

How Strong Is the Grand Manhattan?

As is the case with many 'up' style drinks, this Manhattan is not a light one. If we were to go with 100 proof bourbon and 80 proof citrus liqueur, then the finished drink would be right around 25% ABV (50 proof).

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
59 Calories
0g Fat
9g Carbs
0g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 59
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 1mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 9g 3%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 7g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 16mg 78%
Calcium 4mg 0%
Iron 0mg 0%
Potassium 69mg 1%
*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.)