Tag: 35/100

Breaker Manhattan

TJ Provost

Breaker whiskey scored a 29/100 as a straight up sipper. That is not a great score and put it in the Just Bad category. What do I do with bottles that I don’t enjoy straight or over ice? I make Manhattan’s with it! My first problem with this bottle being used for mixed drinks is its price. At $55 this bourbon is punching way under its weight. Still, it has sitting lonely and untouched on a shelf until I was desperate and didn’t have a lot of other options. So into a Manhattan it goes.

Breaker Bourbon Whiskey

So how was it?

Well, it did help the base whiskey, but the end is still really rough. I used my normal ratios of two parts bourbon to one part vermouth and shook vigorously before pouring into a Yeti Tumbler. I was hoping the sweet vermouth would help smooth out some of the rough edges on the bourbon but it only helped a little bit.

Scoring – Breaker Manhattan

Sadly, the vermouth didn’t help this Breaker much, and only added 6 points to its overall score, giving this Breaker Manhattan a total of 35/100 points, meaning it just barely helped this Whiskey get into the If I Had Limited Choices Category.

BottleScorePriceType
Basil Hayden’s Manhattan95$30 / 750mlManhattan
Balcones Lineage Manhattan92$40 / 750mlManhattan
Blade And Bow Manhattan90$50 / 750mlManhattan
On The Rocks Knob Creek Old Fashioned83$15 / 350mlOld Fashioned
Fistful of Bourbon Manhattan80$40 / 750mlManhattan
Death’s Door Manhattan74$40 / 750mlManhattan
Wild Turkey Manhattan73$30 / 750mlManhattan
Knob Creek Small Batch Manhattan69$30 / 750mlManhattan
Maker’s Mark Manhattan65$30 / 750mlManhattan
Redemption Bourbon Manhattan53$30 / 750mlManhattan
Stillhouse Black Bourbon Manhattan50$20 / 750mlManhattan
Agitator Kentucky Bourbon Manhattan49$35 / 750mlManhattan
Breaker Manhattan35$55 / 750mlManhattan
American XXX Born Bourbon Whiskey Manhattan35$25 / 750mlManhattan

Whiskey Dreams – NatterJack Irish Whiskey

TJ Provost

Natterjack Irish Whiskey is a blended, triple distilled whiskey from Gortinore Distillery in Dublin Ireland. I have to be honest, I didn’t care if this was Irish Whiskey or Bourbon, I was picking up this bottle now matter what because of the distinctive Toad label.

Natterjack Irish Whiskey

Now let’s see how the inside of the bottle compares to the outside.

The Nose

The nose on this Natterjack is hard to describe. Is it acid and leather I’m smelling? I’ve appreciated this note in other blends, and it is not something that I’m overly fond of. It is funky, and not in a good way.

The Palate

That acid and leather on the nose came right through on the first sip. On the second sip my front and mid tongue appreciate sweetness that quickly turns to leather and funk on the swallow.

The Score

The funk cost Natterjack big points. I’m giving Natterjack a 35/100, putting it just into the Mixed Drinks Only territory.

For this price, I could buy almost two bottles of Paddies, and that is a much better sip compared to this bottle.

Color

The color of toad water?

Proof

40.0% ABV

Pros

  • New Irish Whiskey offerings are few and far between.
  • Relatively cheap at $30 a bottle.

Cons

  • The nose has funk that I could not get around.
  • That funk comes right through on the sip.
  • Better options at this price point.
BottleScorePriceType
Redbreast Cask Strength97$100 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
High N’ Wicked The Wild Rover Single Malt Irish Whiskey97$160 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style Bourbon96$65 / 750mlBourbon
Redbreast 12 Years96$70 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Jameson The Distiller’s Safe95$70 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Colonel E.H. Taylor Small Batch Bourbon94$45 / 750mlBourbon
Redbreast Lustau Edition92$65 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Redbreast 1591$115 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Dublin Liberties Copper Alley Irish Whiskey90$75 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
The Dubliner 10 Year89$70 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Tyrconnel Irish Whiskey 16 Year88$95 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Powers Three Swallow Irish Whiskey87$40 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Tyrconnel Single Malt87$50 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Knappognue Castle Irish Whiskey 12 Year87$50 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Smooth Ambler Contradiction Whiskey86$40 / 700mlBourbon
Fighting 69th Irish Whiskey86$30 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Jameson Triple Triple Travel Exclusive85$35 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Uncle Nearest 185684$60 / 750mlWhiskey
Smooth Ambler Old Scout American Whiskey84$55 / 700mlBourbon
Glenmorangie The Original 10 Year82$45 / 750mlScotch
Redwood Empire Pipe Dream Bourbon81$50 / 750mlBourbon
Willett Pot Still Reserve Whiskey81$65 / 700mlBourbon
Tullamore D.E.W. 14 Year81$65 / 700mlIrish Whiskey
Old Forester 1870 Bourbon80$55 / 750mlBourbon
Jameson 18 Year Irish Whiskey80$140 / 700mlIrish Whiskey
Dubliner Bourbon Cask Finished Irish Whiskey80$40 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Jameson IPA Edition80$30 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Redbreast Kentucky Oak Edition Irish Whiskey80$125 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Don Julio 194280$190 / 750mlTequila
Monkey Shoulder Scotch79$30 / 750mlScotch
West Cork Irish Whiskey77$30 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
ChestNut Farms Bourbon77$70 / 750mlBourbon
Basil Hayden’s75$35 / 750mlBourbon
Jameson Irish Whiskey75$25 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Glendalough Double Barrel Irish Whiskey74$45 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Slane Irish Whiskey74$25 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Tullamore D.E.W Irish Whiskey 12 Year73$55 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
John L. Sullivan Irish Whiskey72$25 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Tullamore Dew Caribbean Rum Cask Finish Irish Whiskey72$30 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Bushmills 10 Year Irish Whiskey72$50 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Clyde May’s Original Alabama Style Whiskey71$35 / 750mlBourbon
Appleton Estate Reserve Blend Rum70$35 / 750mlRum
Mr. Whiskey70$20 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey70$40 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Paddy’s Old Irish Whiskey70$20 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Tito’s Vodka69$30 / 750mlVodka
The Dead Rabbit Irish Whiskey69$35 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Death’s Door68$40 / 750mlBourbon
Kavanagh 16 Year Irish Whiskey66$50 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
McConnell’s Irish Whisky66$25 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Kirkland Irish Whiskey65$18 / 1500mlIrish Whiskey
Wellsley Farms Irish Whiskey65$28 / 1500mlIrish Whiskey
Ha’Penny Irish Whiskey64$25 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Wild Turkey Bourbon63$30 / 750mlBourbon
Drumshanbo Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey62$65 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Stillhouse Black Bourbon61$20 / 750mlBourbon
Maker’s Mark Bourbon60$30 / 750mlBourbon
Fighting Cock Bourbon58$20 / 750mlBourbon
Jameson Orange55$30 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Buffalo Trace55$25 / 750mlBourbon
Fistful Of Bourbon53$40 / 750mlBourbon
Kilbrin 10 Year Single Malt Irish Whiskey52$55 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 Tennessee Whiskey51$30 / 750mlBourbon
Agitator Kentucky Bourbon50$35 / 750mlBourbon
Howler Head Whiskey50$25 / 700mlWhiskey
Knob Creek Small Batch49$35 / 750mlBourbon
Blade And Bow48$50 / 750mlBourbon
Proclamation Irish Whiskey44$30 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
The Temple Bar Irish Whiskey40$60 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Redemption Bourbon 40$30 / 750mlBourbon
Natterjack Irish Whiskey35$35 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Hell-Cat Maggie Irish Whiskey32$25 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Grace O’Malley Believe in Grace Irish Whiskey31$40 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Baha Founders Reserve30$65 / 700mlIrish Whiskey
Woodford Reserve29$35 / 750mlBourbon
Breaker29$65 / 750mlBourbon
Pure Kentucky28$35 / 750mlBourbon
Stranahan's27$60 / 750mlWhiskey
Egan’s Fortitude Irish Whiskey26$45 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Winchester Extra Smooth Bourbon Whiskey15$30 / 750mlBourbon
Jack Daniel's Tennessee Honey10$20 / 750mlBourbon
Hill Billy Bourbon9$20 / 750mlBourbon
Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey5$25 / 750mlWhiskey
The Busker Irish Whiskey4$35 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Kavanagh Irish Whiskey3$25 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
The Balvenie 14 Years Caribbean Cask1$100 / 750mlScotch
American XXX Born Bourbon Whiskey1$25 / 750mlBourbon
Highland Park Magnus Single Malt Scotch0$40 / 750mlScotch
Pops McCann0$40 / 750mlWhiskey
Silkie Irish Whiskey0$30 / 750mlIrish Whiskey

Mixed Drinks – American XXX Born Bourbon Whiskey Manhattan

TJ Provost

If you read my original review of American XXX Born you know I wasn’t a huge fan. American XXX Born scored a whopping 1 out of 100. When your drinking it neat or on the rocks this bourbon burns and I figured that I might be better off using this whiskey to clean guns and carburetors.

So why did I make a Manhattan out of a whiskey that got a score of 1?

The main reason is my wife. She yells at me that I have too many bottles in the cabinets, and doesn’t understand why I buy new bottles when I have thirty or forty in the “bar”. This is why I’ve been trying to drink some of my less than stellar bottles in the form of Manhattans, because Vermouth does wonders for crappy bourbon.

I figured I’d give American XXX Born a shot, and if it was horrible in a Manhattan, I’d pour it out to make room for something better.

My American XXX Born Manhattan was created using my normal to 2 to 1 ratio. When I took a sip, I expected my mouth and throat to burn, ready to pour the bottle down the drain. I hesitated, letting the sip flow over the back of my tongue before I swallowed it, quite surprised that I wasn’t feeling the urge to regurgitate.

When mixed into a Manhattan, American XXX Born gets a huge jump in score. I know you may look at this and say, what? It only got a 35, but that is a massive 34 point increase from where it was starting. That puts this American XXX Born Manhattan at the lower range of the “If I Had Limited Choices” category.

Am I going to buy another bottle? Hell no. But I will drink the rest of this one so I don’t feel like I just pissed the money away.

Proof

41.5% ABV

Pros

  • Saves the money you spent on a bottle that isn’t fit to drink neat/on the rocks.
  • Makes a cheap bourbon at least drinkable when mixed into a Manhattan.

Cons

  • Still has a little funky aftertaste on the back of the tongue.
  • Makes me think about cheap alcohol I drank at college parties.
BottleScorePriceType
Basil Hayden’s Manhattan95$30 / 750mlManhattan
Balcones Lineage Manhattan92$40 / 750mlManhattan
Blade And Bow Manhattan90$50 / 750mlManhattan
On The Rocks Knob Creek Old Fashioned83$15 / 350mlOld Fashioned
Fistful of Bourbon Manhattan80$40 / 750mlManhattan
Death’s Door Manhattan74$40 / 750mlManhattan
Wild Turkey Manhattan73$30 / 750mlManhattan
Knob Creek Small Batch Manhattan69$30 / 750mlManhattan
Maker’s Mark Manhattan65$30 / 750mlManhattan
Redemption Bourbon Manhattan53$30 / 750mlManhattan
Stillhouse Black Bourbon Manhattan50$20 / 750mlManhattan
Agitator Kentucky Bourbon Manhattan49$35 / 750mlManhattan
Breaker Manhattan35$55 / 750mlManhattan
American XXX Born Bourbon Whiskey Manhattan35$25 / 750mlManhattan

Whiskey Places – Restaurante Montserrat Manor

TJ Provost

We gave out kids a trip to Punta Cana as their holiday gift instead of buying them a bunch of gifts that they may not really want or need. We are getting older and its harder to actually spend quality time with them because they all have their lives. On our last night in the Dominican Republic we went to the Montserrat Manor for a nice dinner. My idea was to cap off the all inclusive fair with a final night Upscale Dinner.

In the end it wasn’t much better than the all inclusive food. The quality and the price of the meal just weren’t in line with each other. When I asked for a whiskey menu they basically told me they had what I would consider local bar quality whiskey, so I went with my standard Manhattan.

Mystery Manhattan

How was it?

Honestly, I’ve had better at Applebee’s. What was it made with? The waiter told me the house bourbon, so I have no idea.

Given how expensive the food was, the poor quality whiskey selection, and even worse Manhattan, I’ve got to give Montserrat Manor a 35/100, putting it just barely into the If I Had Limited Choices territory. If I didn’t have anywhere else to go, I’d probably go back. I was really disappointed in the Manhattan, and sure, I should have ordered a Rum drink, but by the last day I’d drank so much Rum I just wanted a sip of whiskey for God’s sake.

PlaceLocationScorePrice ScaleDrink
Cinder BarClarksboro, NJ96High CostManhattan
Saltgrass SteakhouseOrlando, FL91Moderate CostManhattan
The Irish WhisperNational Harbor, MD90High CostIrish Whiskey
McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood & SteaksNational Harbor, MD80High CostManhattan
The Dead RabbitNew York, NY75High CostMultiple
Iron Hill BreweryWilmington, DE71High CostKentucky Connection
Cadillac RanchNational Harbor, MD70Moderate CostMultiple
Harry’s Savoy GrillWilmington, DE67High CostManhattan
Boulevardier
Ted’s Montana GrillNewark, DE66Moderate CostNewly Fashioned
Creekside InnWoodstown, NJ65Low to ModerateManhattan
AlewifeRichmond, VA63High CostManhattan
roanokeChicago, IL55High CostBlack Manhattan
Blue Line Lounge & BarChicago, IL53Low CostManhattan
Da AndreaNew York, NY50High CostManhattan
Negroni
Iguana CafeChicago, IL45Moderate CostManhattan
The Greene TurtleNewark, DE40Moderate CostManhattan
Restaurante Montserrat ManorPunta Cana, DR35High CostManhattan
Dave & Buster'sDeptford, NJ30Moderate CostManhattan
Cock'n BullLahaska, PA26High CostManhattan
Old Fashioned
The Brass TapNational Harbor, MD25Moderate CostManhattan
Carrol's Creek CafeAnnapolis, MD21High CostManhattan
Big Fish GrillWilmington, DE10High CostManhattan
The LegendNew Castle, DE5Low CostManhattan
TGI FridaysNew Castle, DE1Moderate CostManhattan

Cost Scale

Up to $30 per person – Low Cost

$31 to $50 per person – Moderate Cost

$51 and above per person – High Cost