Compare
Martini vs Manhattan
The two canonical stirred spirit-and-vermouth drinks. Same structure, same technique, and almost nothing else in common.
Which should you make?
Both are spirit stirred with vermouth, and they share almost nothing else. The Martini is cold, dry and austere — it tastes of gin and temperature. The Manhattan is sweet, spiced and rounded, and it tastes of the whisky and the vermouth together. The Martini is the harder drink to get right and the harder one to like.
| Attribute | Martini |  Manhattan |
|---|---|---|
| In a word | bone dry, soft, light — a spirit and modifier drink served straight up, no ice. | off-dry, soft, light — a spirit and modifier drink served straight up, no ice. |
| Structure | Spirit and modifier | Spirit and modifier |
| Family | Martini | Manhattan |
| Smells of | Citrus peel, Juniper and botanicals | Baking spice, Fresh herb |
| Technique | StirringA heavy, silky, completely clear drink. Alcohol reads more sharply than in the same drink shaken, because nothing has softened it. | StirringA heavy, silky, completely clear drink. Alcohol reads more sharply than in the same drink shaken, because nothing has softened it. |
| Base spirit | gin | whisky |
| Strength | strong | strong |
| ABV | 30% | 30% |
| Calories | 175 kcal | 175 kcal |
| Sweetness | 0/5 | 2/5 |
| Sourness | 0/5 | 0/5 |
| Bitterness | 1/5 | 2/5 |
| Prep time | 5 min | 5 min |
| Difficulty | medium | medium |
| Equipment | Mixing glass, Bar spoon, Jigger, Hawthorne strainer | Mixing glass, Bar spoon, Jigger, Hawthorne strainer |
| Occasions | nightcap, celebration, everyday | nightcap, dinner, celebration |
| Alcohol-free option | No | No |
Choose the Martini if you prefer a drier, less sweet drink.
Choose the Manhattan if you prefer a sweeter drink.
Can you make both?
These two share no required ingredient at all — they are separate shopping trips.
- Only the Martini
- Gin, Dry vermouth
- Only the Manhattan
- Rye whisky, Sweet vermouth, Angostura bitters
What actually separates them
sweetness
The Manhattan is markedly sweeter — 2/5 against 0/5 — so the Martini is the one to reach for if that is not what you want.
base spirit
Martini is built on gin, Manhattan on whisky. If you only own one of the two, that settles it.
Effectively identical on: sourness, strength.