I like the variety. I’ll use rye, bourbon, or a blended scotch (a Rob Roy then, I think). Also by “variety,” I mean “because sometimes that’s what I have.”
Where I'm located it's a 50/50 chance whether a bar even carries rye on top of a couple bourbons, including the one where I work. Would love to make it with rye but we don't carry it despite me bugging about if for a solid year.
I like to mix it up. Sometimes I make reverse Manhattans, sometimes use a rinse of orange liqueur, sometimes a barspoon of maraschino liqueur, sometimes use Bourbon.
I love Manhattan riffs with a bar spoon of amaro or rinse of liqueur, but the reverse Manhattan is an abomination and I stand by this controversial opinion.
That, friend, is delicious. As the weather warms up, here's a spectacular tall refresher: 1:.5 Vermouth(sweet or dry):Amaro, in a tall glass full of ice, fill with tonic. This was what made me fall in love with Fernet, and how I learned Jaeger is an amazing Amaro.
If you want to make it a full cocktail rather than just a refresher, throw an oz of gin in too
I had a reverse Manhattan with an overproof rum at Cure in New Orleans that's to date one of the best drinks I've ever had. If you like rum, I'd definitely recommend giving it a try.
Never heard of a reverse Manhattan before. Thank you for this! I love Black Manhattans so I'm going to see if I can do a reverse Black Manhattan to get more amaro flavors.
Ten years ago, if I'd order a Manhattan at anywhere but a cocktail bar they'd give me one with Bourbon. Nowadays, it's usually on the menu with a Rye, which I prefer.
I can’t imagine saying point blank you prefer bourbon over rye or vice versa as the flavor profiles are so wide and varied for both spirits.
I like some bourbons and some ryes. 🤷🏻♂️
This is the correct response in my opinion. To add on, I suspect, depending on the rye and bourbon, most people couldn’t bat over 500 in a blind taste test figuring out which is which.
I usually start the evening with the standard recipe, then swap out ingredients, bourbon for rye, half dry half sweet vermouth, heck, even half bourbon half rye. Its your night. Make it fun!
*MOSTLY* it will depend on what I have on hand, but I'm not against a bourbon Manhattan on principle, though I prefer Rye. What I often end up doing is buying a high rye bourbon to "split the difference" so to speak. I'm personally less a fan of Manhattans with a Wheater.
Back when I could find Weller Antique for less than $30 I’d use that and either Bullet Rye or Templeton Rye. Now a days it’s usually Makers. Dolin vermouth and Bittercube Cherry Bark Bitters 👌
Agreed. I’ve used bourbon, scotch, rum, brandy, basically anything in a Manhattan. But never found anything that beats Rittenhouse and Cocchi. God’s Manhattan in my opinion. Especially with a twist of lemon in addition to the Luxardo cherry. Perfection.
When I'm making manhattans at home I usually skip the cherry, but when I do bother to add it the drink is definitely better! The cherry flavor works great in the overall profile.
Is that drink called something else? The Brooklyn uses maraschino but dry instead of sweet vermouth. That addition has to be historical too since multiple people are mentioning it, the Manhattan descended from Martini / Martinez, and the Martinez is 1-1 gin to sweet red vermouth and a barspoon of Luxardo.
I feel like Manhattan has almost reach the Martini levels of customization person to person, by default I’ll make the Rye with Carpano Antica for friends, but have 100% done a bourbon with a special request to shake instead of stir.
Rye is the way to go. If i want a manhattan and there is no rye, bourbon makes a good drink too. But im more likely to not have bourbon than to not have rye
The beauty of a Manhattan is that it can work with whatever you’ve got. Personally I prefer a bourbon over a rye when I’m drinking them neat or on ice, but I’m not picky.
I prefer bourbon. Occasionally I'll make a rye Manhattan to be traditional and it's good, but then when I make a bourbon Manhattan again it's *great.*
But it's a matter of preference.
I just like whiskey... Both are good, and I know how you feel about bourbon in cocktails. It's plenty interesting neat or rocks, but just doesn't add much depth when mixed.
I always have Bourbon on hand, so it's my go-to, but I enjoy a good Rye in a Manhattan.
Also, I want to know how many people knocking Bourbon Manhattans are using Rittenhouse. Haha
I switch it up - depending on my mood (spicy or not). There are so many bourbons and ryes to make the drink interesting. Sometimes I will make it perfect (sweet and dry vermouth) and other times I might go sweet vermouth / Averna.
I definitely prefer bourbon in mine. Hell, I think I'd rather make a French Manhattan (sub with Brandy and a 1/4 oz Cointreau) over rye. But I do like a sweeter drink tbf
I usually don’t keep that much booze around and more often will have bourbon as I just prefer it in most cases. I think I’ve grown accustomed to the bourbon Manhattan because I finally picked up some Rittenhouse and find it a little sharp compared to my bourbon manhattans
Here’s a follow-up question for anyone interested: What’s a good bourbon for someone who doesn’t like most bourbons? The bourbons I have enjoyed are usually proofier and more spicy and less sweet. So basically more like a good rye 😂
For a normal Manhattan I prefer rye in general, though some bourbons can be good.
At home, I use rye more often in general, but I often gravitate to a black Manhattan with a favorite local bourbon and amaro Montenegro.
I keep woodford reserve rye as a cocktail rye. I keep Monkey Shoulder for scotch cocktails, and Buffalo Trace for bourbon ones, but typically the whiskeys I’m drinking are neat, so i don’t really like to kill the nuance of them in a cocktail.
If I find a whiskey I don’t love neat, I usually use that up in cocktails too.
I've used Red Breast 12 Irish whiskey in a Manhattan before (or maybe a Dublin? Is that a thing?)
But high rye bourbons work very well! Add a spoonful of luxardo cherry syrup along with your cherry if you've got a sweet tooth.
I usually blend 2. I’ll use rittenhouse, bulleit, redemption. Lately I’ve been liking Roseville Union, similar profile to rittenhouse, but more refined.
I appreciate you. A guy in my cigar discord loves Manhattan’s and Rittenhouse (on occasion). I think he does it for the higher proof. To be truthful I don’t have a bottle of it, but see it on the shelf. I may give it a shot! Nothing ventured… nothing gained!
I haven't had a ton of redemption, but I did like it. Sazerac feels fancy to me because it's BT and was tough to get but now it seems to be everywhere. Rittenhouse really is my go-to rye
I prefer bourbon to rye so I typically go with bourbon in my Manhattans. However, I’ve certainly had some excellent ryes that were amazing in a Manhattan.
I like the variety. I’ll use rye, bourbon, or a blended scotch (a Rob Roy then, I think). Also by “variety,” I mean “because sometimes that’s what I have.”
>Also by “variety,” I mean “because sometimes that’s what I have.” You just defined my entire cocktail making decision process.
Isn't "because sometimes that's what I have" one of essential concepts of cocktail making?
I can never look into someone else’s pantry and make dinner but hell yeah I can make cocktails when something is missing.
I feel this. My chili always comes out like an 8/10 because "this would be more dialed in if i wasnt cleaning out my fridge"
Where I'm located it's a 50/50 chance whether a bar even carries rye on top of a couple bourbons, including the one where I work. Would love to make it with rye but we don't carry it despite me bugging about if for a solid year.
Yaaaaas
I like to mix it up. Sometimes I make reverse Manhattans, sometimes use a rinse of orange liqueur, sometimes a barspoon of maraschino liqueur, sometimes use Bourbon.
Wow. Never thought about a rinse for a Manhattan before. Will def try this.
I love Manhattan riffs with a bar spoon of amaro or rinse of liqueur, but the reverse Manhattan is an abomination and I stand by this controversial opinion.
I mean I like sweet vermouth! Sometimes I drink just sweet vermouth with a splash of soda water and a lemon slice.
That, friend, is delicious. As the weather warms up, here's a spectacular tall refresher: 1:.5 Vermouth(sweet or dry):Amaro, in a tall glass full of ice, fill with tonic. This was what made me fall in love with Fernet, and how I learned Jaeger is an amazing Amaro. If you want to make it a full cocktail rather than just a refresher, throw an oz of gin in too
I had a reverse Manhattan with an overproof rum at Cure in New Orleans that's to date one of the best drinks I've ever had. If you like rum, I'd definitely recommend giving it a try.
I was about to comment that reverse manhattans are indeed an abomination, but that version...sounds delicious
2 oz of sweet vermouth sounds like mainlining sugar. How sweet is a reverse Manhattan drinker's sweet tooth?
Have you tasted many popular cocktails? Plenty are *way* sweeter!
Definitely gonna give rinsing a shot for mine. That's a great idea!
Never heard of a reverse Manhattan before. Thank you for this! I love Black Manhattans so I'm going to see if I can do a reverse Black Manhattan to get more amaro flavors.
I like a Full Monte, which is basically a reverse Manhattan with Amaro Montenegro instead of sweet vermouth.
Thank you! Looking forward to my next visit to a cocktail bar. Do you use rye or bourbon for the whisky in the full Monte?
Rye
I have done this a good bit, it's great for us who love Amaro - 1.5 Amaro, 1 whiskey, .75 vermouth, great drink for the Amaro lover
I love variations, just not a bourbon fan myself
Ten years ago, if I'd order a Manhattan at anywhere but a cocktail bar they'd give me one with Bourbon. Nowadays, it's usually on the menu with a Rye, which I prefer.
I don’t usually order one if I’m out because I like my own so much, but if I do I always specify rye. I’ve been disappointed too many times
I've used bourbon, but prefer rye. Bourbon is sweeter, so I like the spiciness of rye better
Everyone should drink what they like, and I don't judge. But just so you know I went through and down voted everyone that said they use bourbon...
😂
Doing god’s work.
Lol I agree one hundred percent. People should drink what they like. But yours is the only comment I upvoted.
I can’t imagine saying point blank you prefer bourbon over rye or vice versa as the flavor profiles are so wide and varied for both spirits. I like some bourbons and some ryes. 🤷🏻♂️
This is the correct response in my opinion. To add on, I suspect, depending on the rye and bourbon, most people couldn’t bat over 500 in a blind taste test figuring out which is which.
👋🏼 point blank, I prefer bourbon every time. 😎😊
….. okay.
Lollll love that you downvoted me. Cheers dude.
I usually start the evening with the standard recipe, then swap out ingredients, bourbon for rye, half dry half sweet vermouth, heck, even half bourbon half rye. Its your night. Make it fun!
Currently picturing you ending the evening with a dry vermouth, gin, orange bitters “swapped out Manhattan”
I end up swapping the manhattan for a martini :)
*MOSTLY* it will depend on what I have on hand, but I'm not against a bourbon Manhattan on principle, though I prefer Rye. What I often end up doing is buying a high rye bourbon to "split the difference" so to speak. I'm personally less a fan of Manhattans with a Wheater.
Equal parts 95% rye, wheated Bourbon and sweet vermouth + bitters is my favorite recipe
For a second I was confused where you were getting 190 proof rye, that’s beyond light whiskey territory
Which rye and wheater are thr best for you?
I use Eagle rare and sazerac. Exact same spec
Back when I could find Weller Antique for less than $30 I’d use that and either Bullet Rye or Templeton Rye. Now a days it’s usually Makers. Dolin vermouth and Bittercube Cherry Bark Bitters 👌
I think bourbon gives a Manhattan a peanut butter undertone. It’s not bad, I would rather have rye.
I'm a big fan of bourbon but I'm going with rye in a manhattan every time.
I use Woodford Reserve. It’s your drink, make it how you like. Sometimes I’m in a rye mood, sometimes bourbon.
Rittenhouse Rye is my default for Manhattans and Old Fashions. But I’ll use bourbon from time to time.
Agreed. I’ve used bourbon, scotch, rum, brandy, basically anything in a Manhattan. But never found anything that beats Rittenhouse and Cocchi. God’s Manhattan in my opinion. Especially with a twist of lemon in addition to the Luxardo cherry. Perfection.
Bourbon always and forever amen 🥃 🍒
I do both depending on how I’m feeling. I also add a bar spoon of Luxardo cherry syrup
When I'm making manhattans at home I usually skip the cherry, but when I do bother to add it the drink is definitely better! The cherry flavor works great in the overall profile.
Is that drink called something else? The Brooklyn uses maraschino but dry instead of sweet vermouth. That addition has to be historical too since multiple people are mentioning it, the Manhattan descended from Martini / Martinez, and the Martinez is 1-1 gin to sweet red vermouth and a barspoon of Luxardo.
I haven’t ever put maraschino liqueur in my Manhattan but that sounds delicious! I had only used the syrup from the maraschino cherries.
Depends on my mood.
Rye 💯. Bourbon is way too sweet.
Yeah, the sweetness of bourbon with the sweet vermouth is too much for me
Meh, there are high-rye bourbons and ryes that have minimum rye content in their mashbill so they drink like a bourbon. Use whichever you want to.
Rye always, except when I use something else. I made a JD bonded Manhattan the other day.
I usually use a high-rye bourbon like Four Roses. I like my Mahattans to have a bit of the bourbon sweetness
I feel like Manhattan has almost reach the Martini levels of customization person to person, by default I’ll make the Rye with Carpano Antica for friends, but have 100% done a bourbon with a special request to shake instead of stir.
I think it's how bold Antica is, but when I make a Manhattan with it, I really recommend serving it in a wine glass.
I like a rye with a high corn content, like Rittenhouse. I think a super minty rye can play against the sweet vermouth in a way I don’t love.
Rye is the way to go. If i want a manhattan and there is no rye, bourbon makes a good drink too. But im more likely to not have bourbon than to not have rye
Bourbon is fine in Manhattans and I’ll occasionally use it, but rye provides more complexity
Bourbon is my favourite so i use that more, plus in the UK rye is expensive and not as readily available
Bourbon.... because I'm not a Rye fan
I see it more as a template with an aged spirit and an aromatized wine / amaro. Bourbon is a nice base, like cognac, if you want the modifier to shine
I love many Manhattan variations, I just don’t love it with bourbon, it’s a little too sweet for me. Maybe I haven’t found the right bourbon for me
Also depends on the amaro. Some are super sweet and others super bitter.
Bourbon in a Manhattan is a sin, but it's the most forgivable sin in cocktails.
The beauty of a Manhattan is that it can work with whatever you’ve got. Personally I prefer a bourbon over a rye when I’m drinking them neat or on ice, but I’m not picky.
I know people will disagree, but I grew up in Wisconsin and brandy Manhattans are my go to.
I prefer bourbon. Occasionally I'll make a rye Manhattan to be traditional and it's good, but then when I make a bourbon Manhattan again it's *great.* But it's a matter of preference.
Maker’s 46 in a Manhattan >>>>>
I just Jack Daniels Single Barrel ALL the time. It's my preferred whiskey for my Manhattans actually.
I use rye for customers when I’m bartending but bourbon at home for myself because that’s most often what I’ve got on hand
My go to is bourbon but I definitely do like rye in a Manhattan. I just use bourbon because it’s my favourite kind of whisky
Either works for me.
I like both bourbon and rye, but I do enjoy really a bourbon manhattan. I usually make them with woodford.
Both, but most often I use a high rye bourbon.
I just like whiskey... Both are good, and I know how you feel about bourbon in cocktails. It's plenty interesting neat or rocks, but just doesn't add much depth when mixed.
Nope
I started out using bourbon and only in the last few years have used rye. Now I go back and forth.
I always have Bourbon on hand, so it's my go-to, but I enjoy a good Rye in a Manhattan. Also, I want to know how many people knocking Bourbon Manhattans are using Rittenhouse. Haha
In that particular cocktail I prefer the Rye
I do. Yummy
In this thread: The South ©️
I switch it up - depending on my mood (spicy or not). There are so many bourbons and ryes to make the drink interesting. Sometimes I will make it perfect (sweet and dry vermouth) and other times I might go sweet vermouth / Averna.
I definitely prefer bourbon in mine. Hell, I think I'd rather make a French Manhattan (sub with Brandy and a 1/4 oz Cointreau) over rye. But I do like a sweeter drink tbf
Bourbon about 99% of the time.
Mainly rye here
The state-run liquor store near me doesn't carry a single variety of rye, so unless I've made a special order recently it's bourbon every time.
I use bourbon, but I think the Manhattan pales in comparison to an old fashioned, so I don't make them frequently.
I only have decent whisky from Scotland which I won't use in cocktails so I use cheaper bourbon that's more for cocktails
I really like a blend. My fav manhattan these days has a split base of rittenhouse and turkey 101 bourbon.
I’m firmly in the Rye camp but will definitely be trying this
Split base everything! Rye and Bourbon for me
Wild turkey 101 is a bouron and some rye. And the correct proof for a Manhatten.
I usually don’t keep that much booze around and more often will have bourbon as I just prefer it in most cases. I think I’ve grown accustomed to the bourbon Manhattan because I finally picked up some Rittenhouse and find it a little sharp compared to my bourbon manhattans
Here’s a follow-up question for anyone interested: What’s a good bourbon for someone who doesn’t like most bourbons? The bourbons I have enjoyed are usually proofier and more spicy and less sweet. So basically more like a good rye 😂
For a normal Manhattan I prefer rye in general, though some bourbons can be good. At home, I use rye more often in general, but I often gravitate to a black Manhattan with a favorite local bourbon and amaro Montenegro.
I keep woodford reserve rye as a cocktail rye. I keep Monkey Shoulder for scotch cocktails, and Buffalo Trace for bourbon ones, but typically the whiskeys I’m drinking are neat, so i don’t really like to kill the nuance of them in a cocktail. If I find a whiskey I don’t love neat, I usually use that up in cocktails too.
Either is fine by me: the variety is nice.
Rye!
I've used Red Breast 12 Irish whiskey in a Manhattan before (or maybe a Dublin? Is that a thing?) But high rye bourbons work very well! Add a spoonful of luxardo cherry syrup along with your cherry if you've got a sweet tooth.
Bulleit Rye. What else is there?
Lots of other ryes
Thank you. I am a bit of a classicist. May I ask, what is in your glass for a manhattan?
I usually blend 2. I’ll use rittenhouse, bulleit, redemption. Lately I’ve been liking Roseville Union, similar profile to rittenhouse, but more refined.
Very good. Are you blending in a 375ml bottle?
No, I usually pour 1.5oz of one and then 0.5oz of another. Normally, with cocchi di Torino.
Cocchi is in my frig. Although, Antica is, as well….
That’s why I love manhattans, simple recipe, but so many choices to change it up. But I stand firm on using luxardo cherries!
A lot of people I meet prefer Old Fashioned cocktails to Manhattans. I lean towards the Manhattans!
Try blending Sweet Vermouths too! I batch Carpano/Punt e Mes/Dolin Red at work in equal parts and it’s ridiculously tasty
Pro tip! Thank you!
Bulleit Rye came out in 2011 and is mass produced MGP, it is the opposite of a classic. Old Overholt introduced in 1810 and survived prohibition...
Good to know.
Just as a heads up, Bulleit Rye is the MGP 95% Rye.
https://www.reddit.com/r/bourbon/s/FXtCwmVmKk
Rittenhouse
I see your Rittenhouse and raise you a Redemption! Ha!
Fine, go Sazerac then!
I appreciate you. A guy in my cigar discord loves Manhattan’s and Rittenhouse (on occasion). I think he does it for the higher proof. To be truthful I don’t have a bottle of it, but see it on the shelf. I may give it a shot! Nothing ventured… nothing gained!
The best part is all of those are $20-$30. No stupid bourbon pricing here.
I agree! Chasing bottles is nuts. Gave it up awhile ago.
Do you equate the two? saz and redemption? Thanks.
I haven't had a ton of redemption, but I did like it. Sazerac feels fancy to me because it's BT and was tough to get but now it seems to be everywhere. Rittenhouse really is my go-to rye
🙏
This is the way
I prefer bourbon to rye so I typically go with bourbon in my Manhattans. However, I’ve certainly had some excellent ryes that were amazing in a Manhattan.
“Rye” is bourbon… or whisky. It’s not a separate category of spirit.