Cocktail?

[45Smashemflat]

Old Fashioned or Manhattan?

Of the choice, rye or bourbon?

Discuss…

Right now, I’ve been developing my Old Fashioned game with Eagle Rare.

[Brent Yamamoto]

Many thoughts on this one, but it’s been a long training day and I need sleep.

For now all I will say is that Mr. Bond may know his martinis, but a Manhattan must be stirred, not shaken.

[IANative]

Old Fashioned, with Four Roses bourbon and pecan or black walnut bitters.

[apamburn]

I keep trying to like the old fashioned but have mixed feelings still.

I'm a sucker for a sour. Specifically I love amaretto sour with a splash of water and a splash of whiskey. It cuts down the sweetness and increases the alcohol content.

If you want an easy and fast cocktail a dark n stormy is excellent. I prefer bumbu rum or Bacardi black will do.

[extremist]

Old Fashioned.

I'm a cheater and use Old Fashioned mix from Master of Mixers, with Fee Brothers Old Fashioned bitters and various spirits- Bulleit, Rare Breed and Russels. Rye ot Bourbon I mix it up. Also add some Orange or Tangerine soda water to cut the sweetness. Rittenhouse, Sazerac, Wild Turkey 101Rye mixes great too.

[chad newton]

I could use a couple double vodkas and cranberries....

[Brent Yamamoto]

A few thoughts...

Drink what you like. Taste is personal and your taste is all that matters.

All that said, it's nice to get good recommendations on ingredients to use, how to make, etc.


I think the OF is more approachable to most folks who don't already like whiskey. It's more forgiving in a few ways and maybe less dependent on whatever whiskey you're using. Easier to make for a novice. Some whiskeys that you don't like straight can still be salvaged in an OF. (Though it's usually better if you already like the whiskey...certainly better than if you hate the whiskey.) You built it right in the glass. You can build it in a shaker and stir (don't shake) if you're making more than one at a time.


Not that the Manhattan is difficult but knowing a few things is necessary. It's more refined and less forgiving in your choice of alcohol. You better already like the whiskey you're using for one. I rarely order one when I'm out unless it's a high end bar with an experienced bartender. If it's shaken, it will be cloudy and ugly to look at, and it will taste dull and watered down. Stirring leaves the drink looking beautiful and doesn't taste like you're drinking brown water.


The OF is an any time drink (except perhaps when it's really hot). The Manhattan is for more elegant affairs.


Whiskey
Bourbon, rye, American single malt (barley) can all be good in either of these drinks. You can use Scotch, which becomes a Rob Roy. You can also use Rum or Brandy...I don't know what those are called but you can look up recipies.

Neither of these drinks have very many ingredients so they benefit from quality whiskeys; the liquor can't "hide" behind other ingredients like in some mixed drinks. You don't have to use super expensive stuff, but I wouldn't use rot gut either.

Here's a few off the top of my head that I liked in Old Fashioneds. Not an exhaustive list, there are lots of good ones.

Bullet Bourbon
Bullet Rye
Four Roses Single Barrel Bourbon (but I thought the Small Batch was terrible)
Eagle Rare
Westward American Single Malt
Whistlepig Piggyback Rye
Larceny


I don't have as much experience with the Manhattan. One that sticks out that was excellent was Blantons...but today it's super expensive, if you can find it at all.


Bitters

You won't go wrong with Angosturra. But there are lots of interesting flavors. Citrus, chocolate, etc. etc. One of my favorites is black walnut. Experimenting with different combinations of bitters and whiskey is fun and you can come up with really interesting and delicious recipes. Of course you can also come up with shit so make them in small doses and taste test. Have fun with it.


Sweetener
The OF calls for a teaspoon (more or less depending on taste) of sugar. Some recipes call for simple syrup, which is a little easier but it's just sweet and I prefer something that imparts some flavor if I'm going to put sugar in my body.

I prefer dark brown sugar. Demerara or Muscovado both add interesting flavors (toffee, molasses, caramel). Maple syrup if I don't have those. Gabe has some keto maple syrup which would be perfect for those trying to limit their sugar. Agave also works. Honey is my last choice but it works in a pinch.

Sweet vermouth only applies to the Manhattan. I don't know anything about vermouth but there's are a few major brands and most of them are fine.

Cherries
Both these drinks use cherries. Get the Bada Bing brand. They have regular, bourbon or rum soaked, perhaps some others. They are all very tasty, enhance the flavor of the drink, and they are very reasonable.

All the high end people will tell you to use Luxardo from Italy, but don't bother with it. To me they are not nearly as good as the Bada Bings, and they are expensive. Worth it if you really like them but the Bada Bings are both better and more reasonable, so win win.

Orange peel
This applies only to the OF. I tend to use a largish slice of peel and give it a twist before dropping it in the drink. Sometimes I'll do a small orange slide so there's actually a little pulp in it, depends on the whiskey.

Some OF recipes call for muddling all the ingredients in the glass, but I prefer to just drop the cherry and orange in there.



Neither one of these drinks are difficult to make and there are lots of recipes. Experiment with a whiskey you like. Try a couple different flavors of bitters and sweetening levels and see what you like best.

[Brent Yamamoto]

There’s also this pre-made, barrel-aged OF. It’s simple and is quite good.

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[chad newton]

Taking notes....

[ShopMonkey]

typically i like an old fashioned with a well rounded bourbon using chocolate bitters. for those needing a bit more of an explanation, a well rounded bourbon is a bourbon with a good nose, that can be enjoyed neat or in a cocktail with out overpowering the mix.

as of late i've also been enjoying old fashions with rye, as it brings a new element to an old drink