Showdown: 2 Ryes, 1 Manhattan
Without a clear standalone preference, I turn to the classic ratio to determine my "testing" Rye
As I mentioned last week, I don’t have a strong take on Old Overholt vs Rittenhouse, at least on their own.
So, I wanted to stage a different shootout in the most classic Manhattan formula to see if the context would change (read: develop) my opinion.
Classic Manhattan
2 oz Rye
1 oz Sweet Vermouth (Carpano Antica)
2 dash Angostura Bitters
Cocktail cherry garnish
Old Overholt Bonded Classic Manhattan
This immediately drinks like a balanced cocktail without edits. It’s sweet, but not cloying. It’s spicy but not scalding. It’s herbaceous but not a garden. You know the base is whisky because you taste the wood, but it gives way to a nice blend of other flavors on the finish. If you get any single flavor clearly, it’s probably strawberry. It’s good, but it’s not necessarily exciting and as it dilutes it gets a bit boring. Is there such a thing as too balanced?
Rittenhouse Rye Classic Manhattan
This starts hot and stays hot, with that character of the rye staying prominent throughout the drink. It feels like there’s more there, but it takes some dilution for any of it to come through. Once that happens, though, you get a healthy dose of red fruit medley (cherry, raspberry, strawberry) backed up by that strong backing spice.
The Winner: Old Overholt
It’s not the most exciting drink, but it’s structurally sound and the flavor profile is balanced. This is the base I’ll build from (for now).