20 Best Whisky For Manhattan (2022 Updated)

Me and my husband took our annual, anniversary bourbon trail trip and Bulleit was on the list. Had the orange label bourbon in mixed drinks but never drank it neat. Drove up on a nice, country road with a large Bulleit sign next to an old barn (loved this).

Pulled up the drive to the facility and noticed a few corn hole boards to welcome the guests and friendly employees welcoming you as you walk in. Tastefully decorated modern/frontier sitting room with tattoo artists displayed for Bulleit art.

Ashley was our tour guide. She was energetic, knowledgeable and efficient. the grounds were well-maintained and eco friendly (loved this as well). They are earth conscious in all that they do from ensuring they don’t overuse water to solar powered gates/lights and propane fueled shuttles that are decorated by local tattoo artists (nice touch).

The distillery was very clean. They re-purpose the left-over mash and barrels (many distilleries do this but always appreciated). Only down-side was wearing a mask. I don’t think it should be a requirement and was less than pleased about this.

After the tour, we had time to sit in the beautiful sitting room (tastefully decorated with good quality, high end furnishings) and shop in the gift shop. Literally the best distillery gift shop I’ve ever been in.

Many made in the USA products and items from local artisans. There were locally made coffee mugs, bags from WA, dog collars and key chains made from locals, Faribault blankets (WHAT?? love this), and beautiful ladies southern hats (didn’t have my size 🙁 ).

Wish I had more time here but will definitely be back next year.

I used to drink so much that nothing really had much to the taste. I recently stopped drinking for about two years just to see if I could. Since I could, I came back. I ordered the same alcohol that I used to think was decent.

I was wrong, about all of it, except this. It is so smooth, with such depth to flavor. It’s warm, but not burning. It doesn’t give that same horrible whiskey ***** that some beverages do, lookin at you Jack, and the mouth feel of the stuff is just beautiful.

Buy it, drink if, and enjoy it.

Sorry – the reviews show 4+ stars and none of that makes any sense. I’m not trusting these reviews, they look like they were all written by a handful of marketing people and not Rye whiskey drinkers.

This rye is has no complexity whatsoever. It’s whiskey. It’s not bad whiskey but it might as well have been well whiskey in a dive bar. I love Rye – and two of my faves are at a lower price point than this.

they are complex with specific taste notes. THIS. is one dimensional and very disappointing. Many of the reviews addressed mixed drinks, and I don’t do mixed drinks. again. my bad. I should have read the reviews instead of viewing the overall rating.

93 points from Wine Enthusiast ??? In my opinion that rating is not a blind tasting. that’s a business deal. Wine Enthusiast is not (in my opinion) reliable at all – it always seems that it’s connected to the advertising.

These reviews indicate they came from another source. not Total Wine customers. I do not believe the reviews here are genuine. Just my opinion based on the fact that this whiskey has no complexity whatsoever.

With over 100 bottles in my bar, I have to be selective about replacing inventory that I like with something new and untried. Had heard from a friend that this bottle was worth a go so I picked it up before a New Years vacation with 4 serious whiskey lovers.

This bottle was very good and I would say a good value at its price point. The mid-palate was all candy corn and toffee for me with a hint of buttered bread, and a mild finish of spice that was not overpowering gives it a warm tail.

Open it up with a drop of water and serve in a Glencairn glass and you will find the bottom of this bottle before you expected.

Nose: Strong ethanol in the first, but then cherry and vanilla start to come out, followed by rye spice. Caramel becomes well detected if some water is added. Palate: It starts off smooth and sweet. Full bodied.

The heat builds up slowly which is quite friendly. Sensible oak and spice when the heat is peaked. Finish: Rye spice burst, followed by smoke. The finish lasts very long; apple and leafy. Comment: This is a nice bourbon with much complexity to discover.

I was going to give 4 stars because of the alcoholic smell in the beginning but decided 5 for the price. Very well balanced bourbon full of characters.

I really enjoy the OF 100. You get a nice punch of flavor for $25. I definitely get the cornbread, cinnamon, vanilla, and just a touch of dark chocolate. The finish is medium and slightly spicy. The obvious competitors are Wild Turkey 101, Evan Williams BIB, and Old Grand Dad 100.

The Old Forester 100 is not “better” or “worse” than those other offerings. It’s just different. I would say that the back end bite is a bit smoother than WT 101 and on par with OGD 100 & EV BIB. Would I buy it again? Absolutely.

This the least expensive Old Forrester bottle I’ve purchased and I gotta say I prefer the more expensive versions. 1910 is my favorite for its smooth finish and great taste. Compared to that one, this 100proof version is a bit harsh on the finish.

The nose is pure maple syrup and light vanilla, taste on the tongue is a bit astringent, and the finish is pure cherry cough syrup. Considering the 1910 & 1920 bottles are double the price, I would rather pay more knowing I’m getting a much better tasting whisky.

Old Forrester: the original bartenders handshake, or the Kentucky handshake, which ever you prefer to call it. This is the best, and original bourbon of the United States. The old is Brandon existence.

You cannot find a better bottle of bourbon to keep on your back bar, that you don’t have to cringe when people mix with Coke. Their higher tears are even better, especially if you can magically get your hands on a bottle of birthday bourbon.

Makes a great old-fashioned, Manhattan, just about anything you can throw at it, it will stand up to. If you’re looking for a nice spicy cake they also make a Rye that’s around the same price point.

I’m a single malts from Islay girl, but trying to give some love to bourbon & rye. There are a few I like so far. I tried to like this one. Really I did, But I find it only ok. I’ll use it for cocktails, but straight? It just doesn’t have the oomph I’ve come to expect in the flavor department.

Someone described the Islay whisky I love as tasting like old bandaids, merchurachrome (??), and burned house. I’m wondering how they knew what that tasted like. This just tastes…bleh. With some eggnog, or fresh apple cider, maybe real Jamaican spicy ginger beer…it’ll do.

Whisk(e)y that really does it for me, I drink straight, with a wee bit of water. This is not that for me.

My goto bourbon. Makes the best Whiskey Sour. Tried many many bourbons and whiskeys but always come back to FR small batch. The caramel and vanilla flavor pairs so well with the sour mix it’s crazy. If using a premixed sour mix, use Mr and Mrs T’s whiskey sour mix (your welcome in advance).

Also it’s not bad neat, pretty smooth.

It’s my first ever bourbon. My son is educating me on bourbon. I loved it. I’d like to try other bourbons but four roses may always be my first love. Smooth, gently bringing the flavors alive with the vanilla.

My first thoughts were a roasted marshmallow over a campfire.

DISCLAIMER that I am an Islay lover – Ardbeg Uigeadail and Laphroaig Quarter Cask are two of my favorite whiskeys, so keep that in mind when reading the following review: Total Wine’s current High West Prairie Bourbon Barrel Select is finished in a PEATED whiskey cask.

If you don’t like peated whiskeys, STAY AWAY. If you enjoy them, read on. I actually bought this store pick without reading the barrel finish on the side of the bottle. I just saw the black label and figured, “High West, store pick, 100+ proof, what the hell?” So once I get it home I was ecstatic when I checked the bottle and it says it’s been finished in peated whiskey barrels.

I popped open the bottle and, I kid you not, it was like opening a bottle of Laphroiag 10 – the peat is immediately strong and overwhelming – there’s no coming back from it once you’re in. There was a very small hint of bourbon distillate trying to peak through, but the peat was totally overwhelming at first.

I poured it into a glencairn, same deal. Tasted it, same deal. At the time I did not compare it directly to Bruichladdich Port Charlotte, Ardbeg, Lagavulin, or Laphroiag, etc. / but the taste was so overwhelmingly dominated by peat that I couldn’t think of anything but Laphroiag 10.

After this I poured my brother-in-law a dram to get the golden liquid down to the shoulder of the bottle and corked it up again. I didn’t touch it again for 6 weeks. NOW, I poured it into a glencairn and got immediate bourbon notes of cherry, vanilla, brown sugar, but there was also a creeping earthy burn that was starting to develop on the nose.

Memory took me immediately to bourbons with toasted oak finishes, but with a seaside saltiness that I’m not accustomed to with bourbon. At this point, the peat is almost muted, and is providing a beautiful background complexity to familiar bourbon flavors.

Now that the drink has rested in the glass for about 15 minutes, the peat becomes more powerful, but it never overwhelms the sweetness of High West’s original distillate. It matures in the glass to become a gorgeously complex journey from dark brown sugar, vanilla, and spiced oak into a lightly spiced midpalate and a darkly medicinal, smokey finish.

What a whiskey! Not for the faint of heart or those who don’t like the smokey ones. For me, Total Wine knocked it out of the park with this one. I hated it when I first opened it, but after giving it a few weeks to open up in the bottle, it was incredible.

I just reread my two year old review of Double Rye! when I rated it 5 stars. It has been one of my whiskey staples since. I don’t remember when I bought my last bottle, but my son and I immediately noticed a big difference in taste compared to previous bottles.

I read the back label, and instead of describing the blending of 2 and 16 year old ryes, it said that both are a minimum of 2 years old. I feel cheated, as, despite an identical bottle (I think), this is a totally different rye without the sweet, fruity, spicy complexity of the original.

It’s not bad, just pretty one dimensional, and as such, grossly overpriced. I would highly recommend any of the Redemption Ryes over this. Even the cheapest of those is excellent and far less expensive.

All that being said, on the TW website, the description is still 2 & 16 year old rye, so maybe the change was temporary. I would consider trying another bottle if it describes the original 2 & 16 y. o.

blend, but I’ll make sure to see it in person in the store first. Fool me once and all that. If they fix it, I’ll update this review yet again.

I worked my way up through the High West catalogue and finally decided it was time for the Rendezvous. High West has yet to dissapoint me so i felt fairly confident going in. I must say, i poured 4 glasses all over a single ice cube the first night and did enjoy myself but felt for my money I’d just as quickly reach for their double rye.

Which speaks to me more. But on the second night i decided to spend more time sniffing and tasting and focusing on the flavor journey. That is why i said it is a challenging rye because it took me 2 nights to pinpoint certain flavors and for some reason it’s always more enjoyable once i can pin down what’s inside.

Someone else nailed it in their review. I kept getting a grassy herb up front and it’s GOTTA BE FENNEL! Fennel and some dill up front. I got the baking spices on the first night. The rye kick is hardly there and the finish is a bit burny in my stomach for some reason but all in all I’ll say this one is nice if you wanna mix things up and try a pleasant but oddly layered rye.

Anything is subjective to specific tastes. film, desserts, and bourbon also gets added to the list. Old Forester 100 (OF100) has been a consistent top pick in my bourbon journey. The flavor profile is just right.

just the right amount of sweetness and spice for my palate and when you add in price and availability, it’s perfect. Palates differ and some people don’t like it but OF has been knocking it out of the park lately with this and their 1920 and it’s a definite ‘must try’ for anyone getting into bourbon.

You don’t need to buy the liter or 750 but instead try an airline bottle or a pint. even a pour at a bar. and pour it over some ice. If you don’t like it, you haven’t lost much.

Going by reviews from expert tasters I had high expectations. I really wanted to like it, but for me it didn’t work. I’m still a noob at bourbon so my palette might be missing something, but I never felt a distinct flavor come through.

As if the flavor was there, but bunched up at the gate unable to get to the starting line. The body seemed thin and the finish bitter and short. At the same time there wasn’t anything especially bad about it either.

It did have a nice clean and balanced taste overall.

Initial taste is very smokey, and charred, almost spicy. Then I realized it was finished 9 months in a peated barrel cask that was used for scotch! that explained the smokiness, and once I knew it the spiciness diminished and the smoke flavor rose.

Scotch drinkers who like the Islay malt style should try this. Would be great with BBQ. Made especially for Total Wine, so not sure you can get this limited edition anywhere else. The High West website didn’t contain any writeup.

I wouldn’t have bought this bottle had I not visited the distillery and tried a dram. The rye whiskey I tried in the past had notes of leather and grass, which I am not a big fan of. But this bottle is exceptional, with no hint of leather and grass present.

The flavors of vanilla, caramel and oak are well balanced, without dominating each another. On the nose I can smell Crème brûlée. The most expressive thing is that there’s no alcohol burn either on the nose or in palate.

I guess that has something to do with lowering entry proof before aging. Finish is quite long for me with subtle sweetness.

Hearing the hype from the typical Whiskeytube personalities, I was excited to finally find a bottle. I find it to be an average whiskey. The issues for me are primarily the proof. You get a lot of the classic vanillas and caramels of a typical bourbon, but since this is matured in second fill bourbon barrels, it has to be called American Whiskey and is a lot tamer.

For me, the combination of second fill and low proof equate to a more watery whiskey, with hints of bourbon. Personally, I feel there are better options at $40, such as Rare Breed, or a Woodford’s Double Oak for $45.

And if you just want something lighter (in proof), I prefer the previously mentioned Double Oak, an Eagle Rare or even Maker’s 46.

I have been trying a lot of Bourbons under the $60 price point and have found that, based on my palate, I keep returning to Michter’s. I like everthing about it from the nose to the feel in the mouth and the finish.

I have introduced several friends to it and they like it as well. I currently have about 60 bourbons in my modest collection and this one is on my top shelf. I prefer it neat on the porch or on the aft deck of our boat!.

I received my delivery today. Thanks !! A good job by your team. I am glad to know that I can rely on you for my specialty needs. Living in Kentucky, and getting the “high end bourbons” is tough. Everyone snags them before the make it to a liquor store shelf.

Thanks a lot. I will be ordering other items in the near future. Fred Huecker.

I’m a Woodford fan and love everything they make. This is a great bottle. Like other Woodfords its just mellow but they kick in with a lot of flavors at the same time. Mostly a cherry chocolate flavor with a little bit of wood.

That price tag has to be talked about and might take it down a peg for some. Still gets 5 stars for me because of what’s in the bottle.

This special bourbon was an anniversary gift for my husband and was difficult to find. Bourbon Central had a great selection and quickly shipped the gift. The bottle was packaged so well that there weren’t any issues.

I really thought I’d enjoy this, the standard Double Oaked is one of my favorite bourbons, and easily the best for the price. I prefer it to the select. Possibly it’s the fact I had it immediately following a fish fry, and the lemon caused the unpleasant taste on my palette, I prefer my bourbon neat.

I’ll give it another go tomorrow. On the front was a vinegar (not burn) tang. It killed any other flavors. Nothing complex. I’ll take the pancakes and maple syrup from the standard Double Oaked. That being said, there is zero burn to this and if you give it a minute on the back end was one of the best Kentucky hugs I’ve had recently.

I’ll give it a shot when my palette is more ready, if I still taste the vinegar, I’ll try it with a cigar.

I love this bourbon – as expected. I had read blogs about it for months and decided to try it. Just don’t order it through Liqour Bar. The Bourbon was $38. That’s a fairly competetive price. But the shipping was as much as the bourbon.

I didn’t notice that until I had already clicked “Purchase”. I tried to cancel the order within one minute but they instantly wanted a 15% re-stocking fee. Apparently somone had sprinted to the shelf, pulled the product and started the shipping process within 45 seconds? C’mon.

So, HIGH marks for the bourbon and LOW marks for this company. The bottle was packed appropriately and arrived unharmed within a couple of weeks. But it’s WAY cheaper to just find it in your area and go pick up a bottle.

Go for it! Worth the price.