Blade And Bow scored a 48/100 as a sipper, which relegated it to the Mixed Drinks Only category. Which means I wasn’t super excited about what a Manhattan would do for this Blade And Bow whiskey. I find that a Manhattan can soften some rough edges, but usually results in a 10 or 15 point increase (max) to the base whiskey.
The makers of Blade And Bow might not have been super happy with my score as a “straight sipper”, but hopefully they will be a little more pleased with what their bourbon can do as a mixer, especially for a Manhattan.
I used my normal two to one formula, mixing two parts whiskey with one part vermouth, then adding in a few drops of Orange Bitters, and this Blade And Bow really shone through.
My issue with Blade And Bow as a straight sipper was the soft sweet opening and the hardness on the swallow that was kind of a punch in the face. The good news is that the vermouth really evens this out, turning this jarring sip into something much smoother. The vermouth takes that rough finish and just smooths everything out in quite a lovely way. So much so, that this is the all time biggest increase when comparing a whiskey to its Mixed Drinks Only pairing.
The Score – Blade And Bow Manhattan
This Blade And Bow Manhattan scored an all time high 90/100 (as of 3/17/2021). If you love a good Manhattan, this is a must try. This just might might help me justify spending $50 on another bottle – which is crazy for a mixer right? But still, it’s that good in a Manhattan.
| Bottle | Score | Price | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basil Hayden’s Manhattan | 95 | $30 / 750ml | Manhattan |
| Balcones Lineage Manhattan | 92 | $40 / 750ml | Manhattan |
| Blade And Bow Manhattan | 90 | $50 / 750ml | Manhattan |
| On The Rocks Knob Creek Old Fashioned | 83 | $15 / 350ml | Old Fashioned |
| Fistful of Bourbon Manhattan | 80 | $40 / 750ml | Manhattan |
| Death’s Door Manhattan | 74 | $40 / 750ml | Manhattan |
| Wild Turkey Manhattan | 73 | $30 / 750ml | Manhattan |
| Knob Creek Small Batch Manhattan | 69 | $30 / 750ml | Manhattan |
| Maker’s Mark Manhattan | 65 | $30 / 750ml | Manhattan |
| Redemption Bourbon Manhattan | 53 | $30 / 750ml | Manhattan |
| Stillhouse Black Bourbon Manhattan | 50 | $20 / 750ml | Manhattan |
| Agitator Kentucky Bourbon Manhattan | 49 | $35 / 750ml | Manhattan |
| Breaker Manhattan | 35 | $55 / 750ml | Manhattan |
| American XXX Born Bourbon Whiskey Manhattan | 35 | $25 / 750ml | Manhattan |
