Times are getting tougher here. I’m having to go back and make Manhattan’s with bottles that didn’t quite make it as sipping whiskey, which is exactly how I ended up picking up this bottle of Elija Craig. The bottle earned a 57/100 when I reviewed it as a sipping drink, so I was curious to see how it did when mixed into a Manhattan.
I used my standard mix of 2 parts whiskey to 1 part vermouth.
The sweet and spice of the Elijah Craig pairs well with the super sweetness of the vermouth, hiding some, but not all of the alcohol burn and sharp edges the straight whiskey has.
Those sharp edges don’t get covered up by the vermouth enough however, which resulted in just a 9 point increase from the straight whiskey, giving this Elija Craig Small Batch Manhattan a score of 66/00.
Pros
- The sweet and spice in the whiskey combines well with the sweetness in the vermouth, turning this almost into a dessert cocktail.
Cons:
- Even with the vermouth, still has the burn of a cheaper whiskey.
- The vermouth hides a lot of the sharp edges the straight whiskey has, but not quite enough.
| Bottle | Score | Price | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manhattan - Basil Hayden's & Dom Benedictine | 95 | $55 / 750ml | Manhattan |
| Manhattan - Balcones | 91 | $55 / 750ml | Manhattan |
| Manhattan - Blade And Bow | 90 | $55 / 750ml | Manhattan |
| Manhattan - Basil Hayden's | 88 | $35 / 750ml | Manhattan |
| Old Fashioned On The Rocks Knob Creek | 83 | $13 / 750ml | Old Fashioned |
| Manhattan - Fistful of Bourbon | 80 | $40 / 750ml | Manhattan |
| Manhattan - Four Roses Small Batch | 76 | $30 / 750ml | Manhattan |
| Manhattan - Legent | 75 | $35 / 750ml | Manhattan |
| Manhattan-Death's Door | 74 | $40 / 750ml | Manhattan |
| Manhattan - Wild Turkey | 73 | $35 / 750ml | Manhattan |
| Manhattan - Bulleit Bourbon | 69 | $28 / 750ml | Manhattan |
| Manhattan - Dogfish Head Alternate Takes | 69 | $55/ 750ml | Manhattan |
| Manhattan - Knob Creek Small Batch | 69 | $30 / 750ml | Manhattan |
| Manhattan - Elija Craig Small Batch | 66 | $27 / 750ml | Manhattan |
| Manhattan - Redemption Bourbon | 53 | $30 / 750ml | Manhattan |
| Manhattan Stillhouse | 50 | $25 / 750ml | Manhattan |
| Manhattan Agitator | 49 | $30 / 750ml | Manhattan |
| Manhattan - American XXX Born | 35 | $26 / 750ml | Manhattan |
