299479 Fri Dec 17 11:25:39 -0800 2004 18 27 General Chowhounding Topics 0 1659306 need to get my partner (business) a really good bottle - he drinks old fashioneds and manhattans- can anyone suggest something special that he may not buy himself? Fri Dec 17 11:25:39 -0800 2004 0 ton casmo 1 1659309 Can't recommend a specific bottle, but try a bottle of rye instead of bourbon. My mother thought I was crazy to make a Manhattan with rye instead of Jim Beam until she tried the difference -- the rye Manhattans are so much smoother! Now she's hooked. Fri Dec 17 11:32:07 -0800 2004 1659306 0 Caitlin Wheeler 1 1659311 Blanton's or Jefferson Private Reserve Fri Dec 17 11:37:48 -0800 2004 1659306 0 Gayla 1 1659313 If you want to go with Caitlin's suggestion of rye, I suggest Old Potrero 18th Century Style Whiskey. It's a 100% rye whiskey distilled by the folks who brew Anchor Steam Beer. This is a wonderful whiskey and probably not something your friend would buy. This is a very expensive whiskey. Anchor also makes a 19th-century style rye whiskey that's less expensive. Here's the link to that one: http://www.anchorbrewing.com/about_us/oldpotrero.htm Link: http://www.anchorbrewing.com/about_us/oldpotrero_18th.htm Image: http://www.anchorbrewing.com/images/whiskey_18thcsellsheet.jpg Fri Dec 17 11:49:42 -0800 2004 1659306 0 Nancy Berry 1 1659315 Get him a bottle of Sazerac Rye. The distillery is either a part of, owned by, or somehow affiliated with, Buffalo Trace, which makes some of the best bourbons out right now. All of the whiskey press, and everyone I know seems to agree that it's the best bottle of Rye anyone is producing right now...it's 17 years old, and delicious on its own - it would make the best manhattan ever. It's about 45-50 bucks a bottle...don't know where you live, but in NYC they stock it at Astor Place (finally) and Crossroads. Another possibility is Old Potrero, which is made by the same folks in SF that make Anchor beer. It's a single pot-still, old school whiskey. It's expensive (60-100 bucks a bottle, depending if you get the straight rye or the single malt spirit) and is 125 proof, but it's amazingly smooth and full tasting. It's also fairly unusual and hard to find, so might make a great gift. micah Fri Dec 17 11:52:10 -0800 2004 1659306 0 micah 2 1659460 Check out Michter's U.S. #1 Rye at a fraction of the price of Old Potrero. It's great and not as hot (i.e. boozy). They also have a product called U.S. #1 Whiskey, which is a bourbon mash that is aged in used barrels (and therefor not allowed to be called Bourbon which must be aged in new barrels). It has a good Bourbon flavor without being so sweet. Sun Dec 19 11:51:58 -0800 2004 1659315 0 mick 1 1659316 Elijah Craig or W.L.Weller Depending on how much you want to spend, I think both do 18 yr. old versions that are supposed to be great. I know my guy loves the 12 yr old bottles. It seems a waste, though, to give good bourbon to someone who is going to put it an a Manhattan. Fri Dec 17 11:52:11 -0800 2004 1659306 0 curiousbaker 2 1659329 I agree, for mahattans I'd get him a good sweet vermouth (ie Vya) and a good but not great whiskey like Makers Mark. Don't waste the extra money on a great bourbon or whiskey if you know it's going to be dilluted with sweet vermouth. Fri Dec 17 13:35:55 -0800 2004 1659316 0 Dax 3 1659502 Hear Hear!! I like Makers Mark for manhattans, old fashioned, etc. For sipping, my current favorite is Woodford Reserve, although I like Buffalo Trace a lot, too. The Wine Enthusiast most recent issue in their "best of" article gave good marks to (in order): Black Maple Hill 18 year old Kentucky Striaght Rye Whiskey Cask #R66 ($86) Evan Williams Vintage 1994 Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon ($25) George T. Stagg Limited Edition Uncut & Unfiltered Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon, Buffalo Trace Distillery ($45) The Classic Cask Selection 22 Year Old Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey Distilled in 1981 Batch #Rw-108 ($70) Old Forester Birthday Bourbon Spring 1990 Kentucky Straight Bourbon ($35) Woodford Reserve Distiller's Select Kentucky Straight Bourbon ($30) Sun Dec 19 22:14:17 -0800 2004 1659329 0 bacchante 1 1659352 If you want to go all out, Jim Beam Distillers Masterpiece is the way to do it. It is a truly incredible whiskey, and really, really expensive (about $250 or so). But do not give to your partner unless he swears to only drink it straight up. Fri Dec 17 15:42:22 -0800 2004 1659306 0 gina 1 1659373 Try Glenmoraigne from Scotland. Fri Dec 17 18:32:39 -0800 2004 1659306 0 Mark 2 1659418 Ahem...Glen Morangie is a single malt scotch whiskey. I assume I need say no more. Sat Dec 18 16:56:12 -0800 2004 1659373 0 DougMac 3 1659433 Ahem...whisky! Lindsay www.vinetours.co.uk Sat Dec 18 19:31:21 -0800 2004 1659418 0 Lindsay 4 1659454 Maybe I do. Old Fashioneds and Manhattens are not made with Scotch. Thought that was pretty basic knowledge. Sun Dec 19 09:47:11 -0800 2004 1659433 0 DougMAc 5 1659462 Yes, I know that. I just wanted to offer a suggestion of something I enjoy on the rocks. Sun Dec 19 12:46:43 -0800 2004 1659454 0 Mark 6 1659504 I know Mark...comment directed at our friend from across the pond. Sun Dec 19 22:57:52 -0800 2004 1659462 0 DougMac 7 1659511 And I was only talking about your spelling Scotch 'whisky'- we're all being too obtuse and clever for out own good!:-) Mon Dec 20 08:43:58 -0800 2004 1659504 0 Lindsay 7 1659512 And I was only talking about your spelling - Scotch is 'whisky'- we're all being too obtuse and clever for our own good!:-) Mon Dec 20 08:44:42 -0800 2004 1659504 0 Lindsay 5 1659574 If you make a Manhattan with Scotch, it becomes a Rob Roy. After what has happened with Martinis, I don't know what screwiness is going on with Manhattans and Old Fashioneds these days. They went out of style in the 1970s. In those days both were usually made with blended whiskey. Regionally this was often referred to as rye or bourbon on the assumption that the base whiskey (20-40%) was rye or bourbon with the rest being neutral spirits (essentially vodka). The same brand might have been called rye in the Northeast and bourbon in the Midwest. Some people used Canadian whiskey, though. Straight rye was uncommon. I believe that Old Overholt and Wild Turkey were the only ones available in the Midwest. These are way too pungent to use in a Manhattan. You need a balance among the whiskey, bitters and vermouth. Note that a dry Manhattan existed using dry vermouth while a few people used a mixture of sweet and dry vermouths in Manhattans. Old Fashioneds were sometimes made with bourbon, at least in the Midwest. Unless the bourbon was fairly light, the balance of whiskey, bitters and sugar was off. Back then some people mixed bourbon with cola, so there were some horrible combinations. I suspect that terrible whiskey mixtures played a big role in the rise of vodka. Mon Dec 20 16:36:29 -0800 2004 1659454 0 Eldon Kreider