Updated May 2026.
The IBA Manhattan is 50 ml rye whiskey, 20 ml sweet red vermouth, and 1 dash of Angostura. That 50 ml of 40% rye is 1.13 NIAAA standard drinks before the vermouth (~0.17 drinks if the rosso is 15%). “Best whiskey” is a 90–100 proof rye that still tastes like rye after sugar and bitters. Bourbon is a common substitute, not the IBA default. This is not a 2022 top-ten tasting.
Bonded rye (100 proof) is 1.41 drinks in that 50 ml. Canadian “rye” on an older label is not automatically 51% rye. Related: bourbon Manhattan, sweet vs dry vermouth, rye vs bourbon.
What the mixing glass actually needs
| Job | Typical bottles | Why |
|---|---|---|
| IBA default rye | Rittenhouse Bonded, Old Overholt Bonded, Bulleit Rye, Wild Turkey 101 Rye | Holds up to 20 ml sweet vermouth |
| Bourbon substitute | 90–100 proof (Woodford, WT 101, bonded Evan Williams) | Legal; sweeter mash. See the bourbon page |
| Skip for this drink | Honey / cinnamon whiskey; 80-proof flavored | Different class; sugar on sugar |
| Vermouth | Sweet red (IBA). Dry makes a different drink | Fridge after opening |
Four IBA Manhattans at 40% rye are about 4.5 drinks from the whiskey plus ~0.7 from the vermouth. NIAAA binge pattern is a health line, not a target. Allocation bottles are wasted under a cherry if you only wanted caramel. Dash size: dash of bitters. Pour math: whiskey drinks.
Sources
- IBA Manhattan (fetched): 50 ml rye whiskey, 20 ml sweet red vermouth, 1 dash Angostura.
- TTB 27 CFR 5.143 rye / bourbon. Bonded = 100 proof (27 CFR 5.88).
- NIAAA standard drink (December 2025). No invented ranking or MSRP.