Rum Manhattan
Serves 1 · 5 minutes · Chilled coupe
Last updated 1 November 2026
A Rum Manhattan is a stirred rum-and-sweet-vermouth variation on the whiskey Manhattan. This Difford’s version uses a two-to-one ratio and aromatic bitters, giving a different drink from the existing rum Old Fashioned or Negroni.
Ingredients
- — 60ml aged Caribbean blended rum (40% ABV assumed)
- — 30ml sweet rosso vermouth (16% ABV assumed)
- — 2ml Angostura aromatic bitters (44.7% ABV assumed; house measure for two dashes)
- — Ice cubes for stirring
- — Cocktail cherry, to garnish
Method
- Chill a coupe. Measure rum, sweet vermouth and bitters into a mixing glass.
- Fill with ice and stir for about 20–30 seconds, until cold and slightly diluted.
- Strain into the chilled coupe without serving ice. Garnish with a cocktail cherry.
The classic vs the spiced version
The 60ml rum and 30ml vermouth ratio follows Difford’s, with two dashes made explicit as 2ml house bitters. Use 60ml Dilay instead of the aged rum for a labelled spiced Manhattan. Dilay is also a sipping rum, but its added aromatics make a different base from the cited aged blend.
Tips for getting it right
- — Choose sweet rosso vermouth, not dry vermouth. Follow its opened-bottle refrigeration instructions.
- — Stir rather than shake: this drink contains no juice or cream to emulsify.
- — The cited recipe names Strucchi Rosso. Our generic sweet-vermouth choice and 16% assumption are explicit adaptations; use your bottle’s strength for units.
Related serves
Related recipe: Spiced Rum Old Fashioned
Related recipe: El Presidente
Frequently asked questions
Is a Rum Manhattan shaken?
No. Stir the rum, vermouth and bitters with ice, then strain into a chilled glass without ice.
Is this a rum Old Fashioned?
No. Sweet vermouth is a substantial 30ml ingredient here. The existing Old Fashioned uses its own sugar-and-bitters recipe and remains separate.
Dilay 1949 is our own spiced rum, for sipping as well as mixing. Any substitution described above is a maker’s adaptation, not part of the credited specification.
BUY DILAY 1949 PANJABI SPICED RUMRecipe references
Our method and spiced adaptations are described separately from the referenced classic specifications.
Approx. 2.97 UK units per serving from the measured alcoholic ingredients. Where a source gives US fluid ounces, our rounded conversion uses 30ml per ounce. Stated strengths are calculation assumptions, not verified specifications for every bottle. Bitters use an explicit house measure of 1ml per dash, not a universal dash conversion. Check all labels; dilution does not remove alcohol.
Please drink responsibly. 18+. Visit drinkaware.co.uk for the facts.