The Manhattan is a classic cocktail consisting of whiskey, sweet vermouth, and bitters. One popular (though likely apocryphal) story is that the drink was invented at the Manhattan Club in New York City in 1874 for a banquet hosted by Jennie Jerome (Lady Randolph Churchill, mother of Winston Churchill). However, research suggests that Lady Churchill was actually in England and pregnant at the time. A more likely story is that it was invented by a bartender named Black at a bar on Broadway. Regardless of its exact origin, the Manhattan was the first cocktail to use vermouth as a modifier. It is traditionally made with rye whiskey for a spicier profile, though bourbon is also common. It is always stirred, never shaken, to preserve its crystal-clear appearance and heavy, silky texture.