In a Chicago Tribune article titled "Mad for a Manhattan," writer Zak Stambor explores the virtues of the iconic cocktail.

"Two parts whiskey to one part sweet vermouth, add a dash or two of Angostura bitters and stir. That's all there is to making a Manhattan. And yet the classic cocktail has endured since the 1870s. It's iconic. And for good reason. Like every great cocktail, the finished product is even better than the sum of the individual components -- no matter how good those ingredients are."

For the article, Stambor hits up Velvet Tango Room owner Paulius Nasvytis for some information.

"It's supposed to be powerful, it should rack (sic) you up in a warm dark liquor embrace," says Paulius Nasvytis, owner of Cleveland's Velvet Tango Room, which helped pioneer the chic cocktail lounge trend when it opened in 1996.

"Even though rye is traditional, Nasvytis prefers the more mellow bourbon. At the Velvet Tango Room, where the bar's three variations on the Manhattan are its most popular drinks, he uses Maker's Mark because of its smooth, honeyed flavor with notes of caramel and dark fruit."

Drink up the rest right here.