Bartenders Riff on Manhattans with Black Butter, Cognac and Other Ingredients

The Manhattan is far greater than the sum of its parts—two parts rye, one part vermouth and two dashes of bitters add up to a cocktail that’s smooth drinking, beautiful to look at, and, if all has gone well, perfectly balanced and delicious. And as with all classic cocktails, the simple formula makes it easy to riff on and create subtle tweaks or new variations, just by changing the base spirit or modifiers. Both ...