Last Updated on April 12, 2024 by Lydia Martin
Bourbons recently became a top choice for creating Manhattan instead of rye whiskeys. It imparts an incredible complexity to our favorite cocktail, demanding its presence in every respectable bar.
The countless bourbon products in the market led our team to experiment and choose the best bourbon for Manhattan.
Top 18 Bourbons Perfect for Manhattan Cocktails
1. Angel’s Envy
Angel’s Envy is one of the best whiskey brands many enthusiasts favor as a go-to base liquor to craft Black Manhattan or Bourbon Manhattan. It is an innovative idea from Lincoln Henderson, who came out of retirement to create Angel’s Envy with his son [1].
This bourbon uses a secondary barrel finishing with port barrels, most commonly used in the Scotch making. Its well-balanced palate of dark cherries, hints of spice, and deep woody flavors provide a smooth base for a perfect Manhattan.
From the Master Distiller behind Woodford Reserve and Gentleman Jack, this bourbon enhances every recipe in Manhattan instead of making mixed-up ingredients in the same glass.
Read: Angel’s Envy Distillery Tour Guide
2. Basil Hayden’s Small Batch Bourbon
Basil Hayden’s is the lightest bodied among the four small batch collections of Jim Beam. It creates an incredible balanced taste in the chilled coupe glass when mixed with Angostura bitters and dry vermouth.
Basil Hayden’s is a top choice among beginners to create a smoother and lighter Manhattan with a current recipe of 63% corn, 27% rye, and 10% malted barley. The high rye percentage on its mash bill is evident in its spicy flavor, along with peach, cherry, and red berries.
Its palate opened with a dry touch of rye spice and followed by hints of vanilla, cinnamon, and seasoned oak.
3. Belle Meade Reserve
With its high rye content, Belle Meade is singularly pleasing to enthusiasts who prefer a classic spicy and bold recipe to the delicious Manhattan. The perfect balance of texture, boldness, and spiciness brings another complex layer to cherry bitters, vermouth, or mixers.
This American whiskey is a product from Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery. This pre-Prohibition distillery was recently relaunched in 2014 by the descendants of the original operator, Charles Nelson.
Despite being new to the industry, Belle Meade already received a double gold from San Francisco World Spirits Competition. This medal recognizes its powerful mash bills that bring rich flavors of caramel, vanilla, and stone fruits.
4. Booker’s Reserve Bourbon
Booker’s is one of the small-batches collections of Jim Beam Distillery. It has the highest alcohol content of 60% to 65% ABV compared to its other siblings, Knob Creek, Baker’s, and Basil Hayden’s.
Many mixologists choose a whiskey with a strong backbone and heat as a base for Manhattan to achieve its full potential. Booker’s Reserve Bourbon tames vermouth with its heavy peppery heat and holds bitters to craft an enjoyable cocktail with a kick.
5. Buffalo Trace
Buffalo Trace, infused with rich vanilla and oaky flavors, has a stiff and powerful kick. It is a cheap sipping whiskey or base liquor for crafting a spicy Manhattan.
Produced from a distillery constructed in 1792, Buffalo Trace is a perfect companion to creating Black Manhattan.
A Black Manhattan is a version that replaces vermouth for a sweeter Averna Amaro. It is a simpler version of bourbon Manhattan, but it contains complex herbal and sweet notes with added depths caused by Buffalo Trace Bourbon.
Read: Buffalo Trace Bourbon vs Maker’s Mark
6. Bulleit Bourbon
Bulleit bourbon is famous for its high-quality rye content of 28% on its mash bill, crafting a spicy and bold texture that many enthusiasts could easily recognize. It is suitable for any whiskey base, but beginners who are still experimenting with a mixer for Manhattan will find this a little dry for the cocktail.
Aged in charred American Oak barrels, it has a medium amber appearance, with a fine but complex blend of nutmeg, maple, oak, and caramel.
7. Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon
This bourbon contains a high percentage of corn mash at 78%, like Buffalo Trace bourbon.
This mash bill requires the whiskey to age from eight to twelve years, leaving it elegantly smooth despite being barrel-proof.
The brand took its name from a real Baptist reverend, Elijah Craig, one of the leading pioneers behind the use of charred barrels for bourbon aging [2].
The right flavor balance of vanilla, caramel, oak, and baking spices provides a stiff addition to traditional Manhattan or any dry cocktail.
Read: King of Kentucky Bourbon Guide
8. Four Roses Small Batch
Four Roses offer a new way to enjoy the perfect Manhattan cocktail minus the intense flavors that many beginners find unpleasant. It has ten unique recipes from five different yeast strains and two different mash bills, making Four Roses stand out among other bourbon brands.
Living up to its name, Four Roses elicits floral, honey, and herbs flavor profiles instead of the usual caramel, toffee, and vanilla of standard Kentucky bourbon. It mellows down sweet vermouth and bitters while enhancing the underlying spiciness of Manhattan without sacrificing the original taste.
9. Kings County Craft Bourbon
A bourbon whiskey from a New York distillery is probably the least expected spirit brand on this list. But Kings County Craft Bourbon, coming from the same state that birthed the Manhattan cocktail, has a surprising and savory texture.
It takes a fine Manhattan to a whole new level with its good structure of caramel, cinnamon, cherry, and spice. The best whiskey to create a well-blended mix of vermouth and Angostura bitters, Kings County adds a wild but deep flavor to classic Manhattan at a very reasonable price.
10. Knob Creek Bourbon
Knob Creek Bourbon is a product from the same distillery as Jim Beam Black, one of the best-selling bourbons worldwide. It is a bold and full-bodied bourbon whiskey that counterbalances other Manhattan mixers such as sweet vermouth and bitters.
It is a bit spicier than some of the products on this list, but that only makes Knob Creek a perfect bourbon for mixing summer cocktails. The liquor starts with a flavor-forward of oaky and toasted nuts, and then it lingers in a spicy and sweet finish.
Knob Creek is one of the most affordable and best whiskey brands that spiced up cocktails like Black Manhattan and Old Fashioned in an unforgettable twist. We have other Knob Creek bourbon bottles here.
11. Maker’s Mark
Like the original Jim Beam Rye whiskey and Knob Creek, Maker’s Mark is another product of Beam Suntory, Inc. This wheated bourbon has a unique recipe of 70% corn, 16% winter wheat, and 14% malted barley.
Notice that Maker’s Mark uses a unique recipe using wheat instead of the usual rye. It creates a perfect base for an easy-drinking bourbon Manhattan that blends well with the flavors of sweet vermouth and orange bitters.
Maker’s Mark has caramel and toasty smell with a balanced flavor of cinnamon, oak, and vanilla on the palate. It is one of the best bourbons that is not only popular for Manhattan but also a classic cocktail like Old Fashioned. Here are some more popular bourbon choices for an Old Fashioned.
12. Old Forester 86 Proof
Old Forester has been the oldest continuous bourbon whiskey brand in the market since its introduction in 1870. It was a product of Brown-Forman Corporation, one of the six licensed distilleries during the Prohibition Era (1920-1933), to produce medical whiskey [3].
Old Forester Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey has a mash bill of 72% corn, 18% rye, and 10% malted barley. It is the same recipe as Woodford Reserve of the same company but a more affordable base for the perfect Manhattan cocktail, available for around $20.
After getting past the initial biting taste, the sweet flavors of brown sugar and caramel follow. It ends in a long and warm sweet finish with slight orange undertones.
13. Old Grand-Dad Bonded
A bottled-in-bond bourbon, Old Grand-Dad is under a government designation specifying that the whiskey is at least four years old and 100 proof. It also ensures that it came from one distillery in a single distilling season.
Despite sharing the same mash bill as Basil Hayden’s, it is the cheaper choice among the two. This bourbon has a strong flavor of spicy black pepper due to its high rye concentration. It is a great alternative to creating the perfect Manhattan for those who prefer rye whiskey over bourbon.
Aside from its high-proof alcohol, flavorful profile, and affordable price, it has a rich history that survives even the Prohibition Era. But what’s the best bourbon for Kentucky Mule?
14. Van Winkle Special Reserve
Van Winkle is one of the world’s finest bourbons that can rival a cognac for an after-dinner drink. It has a strong alcohol smell at first, followed by secondary fruity notes like grapes, oranges, and apples.
Unlike the smell, the alcohol on the palate is more of a background taste and does not come strongly. Many fans describe its palate as nectar with a smoothing characteristic of wheat. It opens with spiced peach, dried mango, and cocoa notes.
Van Winkle Special Reserve is a sophisticated whiskey choice for an old classic cocktail like Manhattan with a perfect blend of proof and age.
15. W. L. Weller 12-Year
The Weller bourbon is another sought-after and hardest-to-find brand in local liquor stores. Currently produced by Buffalo Trace Distillery, many fans believed that W. L. Weller is underpriced for its great flavor profile.
Swirling it in a martini glass exudes a rich smell of vanilla, caramel, and other fruity sweetness, while the palate is rich in warm oaky flavor.
The use of low distillation induced W. L. Weller with round and creamy characteristics, exactly what a good cocktail mixer a great Manhattan should have.
16. Wilderness Trail Bourbon
Wilderness Trail Bourbon has unique founders who have a background in microbiology and plant pathology, Shane Baker and Patrick Heist [4].
Their professions led them to start FermSolutions in 2006, a company that distributes yeast strains to over six hundred distilleries.
Through this experience, the makers chose a scientific approach to their whiskey-making process. Instead of the usual sour mash, this whiskey uses sweet mash that leaves more complex flavors to the liquor.
It offers an unforgettable Manhattan treat with its rounded smell of butterscotch and red apple and a balanced palate of citrus fruits, black pepper, and cinnamon.
Read: Wild Turkey Bourbon & Jim Beam Comparison
17. Woodford Double Oaked Bourbon
This bourbon product from Brown-Forman Corporation uses the same process as Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon up until the aging process. It draws an extra deep flavor from its secondary finishing using toasted and charred barrels for another six to twelve months.
Woodford Reserve Double Oaked bourbon is perfect for dessert cocktail enthusiasts as it has a delectable sweetness of chocolate, vanilla, cherries, and brown sugar. But its gentle bitterness and long oaky finish are delicious blends in bourbon Manhattan, further enriching sweet vermouth and bitters.
Read:
- Our Recommended Weller Bourbons
- Our Recommended Bourbons For Mixing
- Our Recommended Bourbons For Old Fashioned
18. Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon
The Woodford Reserve bagged a total of thirteen gold medals. These recognitions came from the world’s most respected spirits competitions, including International Wine & Spirits Competition and San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
These awards proved that Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is among the best bourbons to create the smoothest Manhattan cocktail. It is a high-rye bourbon whiskey triple distilled and matured for six years.
With 200 well-rounded flavors, Woodford Reserve complements sweet vermouth, another Manhattan drink recipe. It smells of toasty oak with light traces of cocoa, while the taste is a blend of cereal sweetness, spicy cinnamon, and buttery toffee notes.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What kind of bourbon is used in Manhattan?
Manhattan uses any bourbon type. However, it depends on the person’s personal preference which one to use. Most beginners choose to have a sweet Manhattan, while some seasoned drinkers prefer a cocktail with a strong kick.
Can you use any bourbon for Manhattan?
Yes, you can use any bourbon for Manhattan. High-rye bourbons craft a spicy layer to the drink, while high-wheat leaves a smooth blend to Manhattan. The traditional bourbon is a sweet mixer, taming the dry and stiff Manhattan into a delightful drink.
Which is better to use in Manhattan, bourbon or rye?
It is better to use bourbon than rye whiskey in Manhattan. It introduced different layers of complex flavors to the cocktail. But American rye whiskey is among the original cocktail recipes of classic Manhattan that some fans are more comfortable using than bourbon.
Is a Manhattan better with whiskey or bourbon?
Traditionally, a Manhattan cocktail is made with bourbon, but variations exist, and personal preferences play a significant role.
Some enthusiasts argue that the robust and slightly sweet characteristics of bourbon complement the vermouth and bitters in a Manhattan, while others may prefer the spicier and more complex notes of rye whiskey.
Ultimately, the choice between whiskey and bourbon depends on individual taste preferences.
What is the best liquor to use for a Manhattan?
The best liquor for a Manhattan depends on personal taste, but traditionally, either bourbon or rye whiskey is used.
Rye whiskey tends to impart a spicier and drier profile, while bourbon contributes a sweeter and fuller flavor.
Experimenting with different brands and expressions can help discover the preferred balance for your taste buds.
What is the best bourbon according to bartenders?
Bartenders’ preferences for the best bourbon can vary, as it often depends on the desired flavor profile for a particular cocktail.
Popular choices among bartenders might include well-known brands like Buffalo Trace, Maker’s Mark, or Woodford Reserve.
However, individual tastes play a significant role, and exploring different bourbons can lead to finding a favorite for specific applications.
What is the smoothest bourbon whiskey to drink straight?
Determining the smoothest bourbon for straight sipping is subjective, as smoothness depends on individual taste preferences.
Brands like Pappy Van Winkle, Blanton’s, or Basil Hayden’s are often praised for their smooth and approachable qualities.
However, exploring different bourbons across a range of price points can help identify the smoothest option based on personal preferences.
Can Jack Daniels be used in a Manhattan?
While traditionally made with bourbon or rye whiskey, some variations of the Manhattan experiment with different base spirits.
Jack Daniel’s, being a Tennessee whiskey with a sweeter and smoother profile, can be used in a Manhattan for those who prefer a milder flavor.
However, purists might argue that sticking to bourbon or rye provides a more classic Manhattan experience.
Experimenting with different whiskies can lead to unique and enjoyable variations on the traditional cocktail.
What is the most common whiskey for Manhattan?
The most common whiskey for a Manhattan is typically rye whiskey.
The classic recipe calls for a combination of rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, and bitters.
Rye whiskey’s spicier and drier profile complements the sweetness of the vermouth and the complexity of the bitters, creating a well-balanced cocktail.
However, bourbon is also widely used, offering a sweeter and fuller flavor to the Manhattan.
What is the best budget whiskey for Manhattans?
For those on a budget, several affordable whiskies work well in Manhattans.
Some popular choices include Evan Williams Black Label, Old Forester Signature, or Rittenhouse Rye.
These budget-friendly options provide a good balance of flavor without breaking the bank, making them suitable choices for mixing in cocktails like the Manhattan.
Can you use Johnnie Walker in a Manhattan?
While Johnnie Walker is a popular Scotch whisky, it is not traditionally used in a Manhattan, as the cocktail typically features American whiskey, either bourbon or rye. The distinct smoky and peaty characteristics of Scotch may not align well with the sweet vermouth and bitters in a Manhattan. However, cocktails are a matter of personal taste, and some may enjoy experimenting with different whiskies to create unique variations.
What is the smoothest bourbon?
Determining the smoothest bourbon is subjective, as it depends on individual taste preferences.
Some bourbons often praised for their smoothness include Pappy Van Winkle, Blanton’s, or Basil Hayden’s.
However, exploring different bourbons and considering factors like age, proof, and flavor profile can help find a smooth bourbon that suits individual preferences.Top of Form
Final Thoughts: Best Bourbon For Manhattan
Many enthusiasts believe that bourbon adds a balance of sweetness and spiciness to Manhattan, unlike the strong flavors of rye whiskey. This cocktail has unclear origins, though some believe it first appeared at a party in Manhattan Club, New York, in the 1880s.
Finding the right bourbon is only the first step to creating the best Manhattan for your taste. After deciding which bourbon to have, you can add vermouth and bitters into a mixing glass and stir. Strain the drink into a cocktail glass, garnish it with a maraschino cherry, then add simple syrup to balance the flavors.
Enjoy your next Manhattan!
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