Pomegranate Manhattan

Perfect for holidays and dinner parties alike, this pomegranate Manhattan recipe is as beautiful as it is delicious. Enjoy a classic Manhattan cocktail with a delightfully fruity twist!

What I love about this cocktail is how pomegranate juice enhances the Manhattan’s flavor. Boy, does it make for a delicious cocktail.

It’s also a fun modern twist to the classic drink.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, my mom’s favorite cocktail was the Manhattan. She loved it with both whiskey and bourbon. I don’t think she ever had any other variations though, like one made with cherry infused bourbon or the addition of pure pomegranate juice.

But I believe that she would have loved this pomegranate Manhattan cocktail. I dedicate it to her.

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Helpful tips

• Pomegranate juice is usually 100% juice, but make sure there isn’t any added sugar; it will make your cocktail too sweet.
• Use the best bourbon you can afford because it does make a difference in taste, especially in this cocktail.
• You can imbibe this Manhattan either like a martini, without ice, which is how I drink it, or on the rocks, the way my mother enjoyed hers.
• If you’re serving it on the rocks, use either a double old fashioned glass or a traditional rocks glass.
• I love using a good sweet vermouth; my favorite brands are Antica Formula or Dolin.
• You can garnish this cocktail with a fresh rosemary sprig, pomegranate arils, or with cherries. Any of these garnishes go well during the holidays.
• I enjoy Woodford Reserve Bitters. They have a few flavors like orange bitters, aromatic bitters, chocolate bitters, and spiced cherry bitters (which is my favorite). But if you can’t find the Woodford Reserve bitters, a few dashes of Angostura bitters is perfectly fine.

How to make a pomegranate Manhattan

Pre-step

Get a cocktail shaker and fill it halfway with ice cubes. Get a measuring glass, martini glasses, sprigs of fresh rosemary, and pomegranate arils.

After measuring out each ingredient, add it to the cocktail shaker.

Step one

Gather the ingredients – bourbon, sweet vermouth, pomegranate juice, and bitters.

Step two

Measure 4 ounces of bourbon. (A)

Step three

Measure 3 ounces of pomegranate juice. (B)

Step four

Measure 1 ounce sweet vermouth. (C)

Step five

Add 10 drops of bitters to the shaker. (D)

Step six

Once the drink ingredients are in the shaker, add a teaspoon of pomegranate arils to each martini glass.

Step seven

Place the lid on the martini shaker and shake for 15 seconds. Divide, strain, and pour the cocktail between the two glasses.

Add a fresh rosemary sprig to each glass.

Let’s see a vertical view.

How festive is that?

And delicious!

I hope you enjoyed this pomegranate Manhattan cocktail recipe.

Other popular bourbon cocktails

• Smash
• Sour
• New York sour
• Old fashioned

And as always, may all your dishes/drinks be delish!

If you’ve tried this recipe, I’d love to know your thoughts in the comments below. I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM, and PINTEREST to see more of my delicious food and delightful cocktails!