This afternoon’s cocktail is a classic: a Manhattan.
- 2 oz bourbon
- 1 oz sweet vermouth
- 2 dashes angostura bitters
- 1 dash orange bitters
I’m trying a new “well” bourbon. For those unfamiliar with the term, “well drinks” are made with bottles stored in the “well” of the bar (an area easily accessible to the bartender). When you order something like a Gin and Tonic or a Scotch and Soda (or a Long Island Iced Tea) and don’t specify a specific brand or bottle of booze, you’re getting a well drink. The spirits in the well are generally lower quality than those on the shelf behind the bartender.
So I’m trying to save some $$ by seeing how much I can cheap out on the bourbon before it’s not worth drinking. I’ve been using Old Grand Dad Bottled in Bond bourbon, and it’s a great value at $23.99 for 1 L. This time I tried Evan Williams “Black Label” bourbon, available at my regular liquor store for $26.99 for 1.75 L.
Making a Manhattan seemed a good test. It’s a drink I enjoy and make regularly, and it’s just simple enough that inadequacies in the bourbon can’t hide too easily, while still being a realistic test for how well it mixes.
I’m on the fence at the moment. The Evan Williams has less alcohol (86 proof compared to 100 proof), and that means the flavor comes through a bit more clearly. I think if someone handed this drink to me at a reception or corporate event, I’d enjoy it. But is that the right standard for mixing at home? It definitely feels just slightly less rich or intense, like there’s something missing.
Clearly more research is needed.
4 thoughts on “Manhattans and Affordable Bourbon”
@writing I could never get into Evan Williams. I know people that use it all the time. I always thought a minor step up in quality really impacted the cocktail. Especially moving up from the black label. Not as cheap, but the Evan Williams Single Barrel and 1783 I thought were major steps up from black label.
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I’m still not sure how I feel about it. It definitely wasn’t quite the same as even the Old Grand Dad (and it wasn’t comparable at all to something like New Scotland, or even Four Roses Small Batch). My question is whether it’s good enough for the purpose.
@writing As I age, I appreciate quality over quantity more than I used to. Younger me would have wanted several cocktails and something like Black Label would have helped that happen. Older me would choose one, very well thought out and executed cocktail over having 3 or 4.
I dont know if they still have it, but Lost and Found used to have an excellent Knob Creek Old Fashioned.
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I like some of the Wild Turkey offerings. I usually do cocktails with rye whiskey, but the Wild Turkey Rye 101 is only 51% rye and 37% corn so it is more bourbon-y than other ryes.
Empire Wine has it for $28.99/750ml