If I Had Limited Choices Archives

Maker’s Mark Manhattan

May 8, 2023May 8, 2023 TJ Provost

Maker’s Mark is one of those bourbons that is available in every store and almost every bar I’ve ever been in. It is a staple bourbon. That means that if you order a Manhattan in most of those bars the “house” bourbon is going to be used. That “house” bourbon is likely to be be Maker’s. At least in 80% of the bars I’ve been in.

now let’s see how it performs.

Maker's Mark Manhattan — Maker’s Mark Manhattan

Straight Maker’s Mark scored 60/100, putting it into the Mixed Drinks only category. How does it fair as a Manhattan?

The sweetness of the vermouth brings out that subtle sweetness in the Maker’s Mark and highlights a sweet cherry note, which I really enjoy. The Vermouth washes out the little bit of wood char the bourbon might have had on the finish though.

The Score – Maker’s Mark Manhattan

This Maker’s Mark Manhattan scored a 65/100. That puts it at the upper end of the “If I Had Limited Choices” category. It’s a solid, entry level bourbon in my opinion. It is worth having on your shelf – but I save it for mixers. I also save it for new drinkers. There is no point pouring the good stuff into a glass until the drinker can appreciate it.

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

See how all Whiskeys, Tequilas and Vodkas Rank!

Maker’s Mark Bourbon

May 8, 2023May 8, 2023 TJ Provost 1 Comment

I’ve honestly had a lot of Maker’s Mark cross my lips. It is the most common bourbon I find at restaurants and bars when I order a Manhattan. A Manhattan is my go to drink at most establishments that don’t have a great whiskey selection. Of course I had to try it as a sipper to start!

Maker's Mark Bourbon — Maker’s Mark Bourbon

So I picked up a bottle and and figured I’d try it out.

The truth is that this is a great mixer. It is subtle, smooth, but not very complex. There is a very soft sweet vanilla note that quickly gets overpowered by wood char. You can sip it, there just isn’t a lot there when it comes to depth or complexity.

Maker’s Mark is a good starter bourbon if you are just starting to sip. It doesn’t have a strong flavor, so it will be good for new drinkers. If you are more experienced, this is a bourbon for mixed drinks only.

The Score – Maker’s Mark Bourbon

Maker’s Mark scores a 60/100, putting it firmly in the Mixed Drinks Only category.

Pros

Can find in pretty much every bar across the land.
Extremely affordable.
Smooth, but simple taste profile.
Subtle caramel and vanilla notes.

Cons:

Not a whole lot of complexity.

Bottle	Score	Price	Type
Redbreast Cask Strength	97	$100 / 750ml	Irish Whiskey
High N’ Wicked The Wild Rover Single Malt Irish Whiskey	97	$160 / 750ml	Irish Whiskey
Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style Bourbon	96	$65 / 750ml	Bourbon
Redbreast 12 Years	96	$70 / 750ml	Irish Whiskey
Jameson The Distiller’s Safe	95	$70 / 750ml	Irish Whiskey
Colonel E.H. Taylor Small Batch Bourbon	94	$45 / 750ml	Bourbon
Redbreast Lustau Edition	92	$65 / 750ml	Irish Whiskey
Redbreast 15	91	$115 / 750ml	Irish Whiskey
Dublin Liberties Copper Alley Irish Whiskey	90	$75 / 750ml	Irish Whiskey
The Dubliner 10 Year	89	$70 / 750ml	Irish Whiskey
Tyrconnel Irish Whiskey 16 Year	88	$95 / 750ml	Irish Whiskey
Powers Three Swallow Irish Whiskey	87	$40 / 750ml	Irish Whiskey
Tyrconnel Single Malt	87	$50 / 750ml	Irish Whiskey
Knappognue Castle Irish Whiskey 12 Year	87	$50 / 750ml	Irish Whiskey
Smooth Ambler Contradiction Whiskey	86	$40 / 700ml	Bourbon
Fighting 69th Irish Whiskey	86	$30 / 750ml	Irish Whiskey
Jameson Triple Triple Travel Exclusive	85	$35 / 750ml	Irish Whiskey
Uncle Nearest 1856	84	$60 / 750ml	Whiskey
Smooth Ambler Old Scout American Whiskey	84	$55 / 700ml	Bourbon
Glenmorangie The Original 10 Year	82	$45 / 750ml	Scotch
Redwood Empire Pipe Dream Bourbon	81	$50 / 750ml	Bourbon
Willett Pot Still Reserve Whiskey	81	$65 / 700ml	Bourbon
Tullamore D.E.W. 14 Year	81	$65 / 700ml	Irish Whiskey
Old Forester 1870 Bourbon	80	$55 / 750ml	Bourbon
Jameson 18 Year Irish Whiskey	80	$140 / 700ml	Irish Whiskey
Dubliner Bourbon Cask Finished Irish Whiskey	80	$40 / 750ml	Irish Whiskey
Jameson IPA Edition	80	$30 / 750ml	Irish Whiskey
Redbreast Kentucky Oak Edition Irish Whiskey	80	$125 / 750ml	Irish Whiskey
Don Julio 1942	80	$190 / 750ml	Tequila
Monkey Shoulder Scotch	79	$30 / 750ml	Scotch
West Cork Irish Whiskey	77	$30 / 750ml	Irish Whiskey
ChestNut Farms Bourbon	77	$70 / 750ml	Bourbon
Basil Hayden’s	75	$35 / 750ml	Bourbon
Jameson Irish Whiskey	75	$25 / 750ml	Irish Whiskey
Glendalough Double Barrel Irish Whiskey	74	$45 / 750ml	Irish Whiskey
Slane Irish Whiskey	74	$25 / 750ml	Irish Whiskey
Tullamore D.E.W Irish Whiskey 12 Year	73	$55 / 750ml	Irish Whiskey
John L. Sullivan Irish Whiskey	72	$25 / 750ml	Irish Whiskey
Tullamore Dew Caribbean Rum Cask Finish Irish Whiskey	72	$30 / 750ml	Irish Whiskey
Bushmills 10 Year Irish Whiskey	72	$50 / 750ml	Irish Whiskey
Clyde May’s Original Alabama Style Whiskey	71	$35 / 750ml	Bourbon
Appleton Estate Reserve Blend Rum	70	$35 / 750ml	Rum
Mr. Whiskey	70	$20 / 750ml	Irish Whiskey
Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey	70	$40 / 750ml	Irish Whiskey
Paddy’s Old Irish Whiskey	70	$20 / 750ml	Irish Whiskey
Tito’s Vodka	69	$30 / 750ml	Vodka
The Dead Rabbit Irish Whiskey	69	$35 / 750ml	Irish Whiskey
Death’s Door	68	$40 / 750ml	Bourbon
Kavanagh 16 Year Irish Whiskey	66	$50 / 750ml	Irish Whiskey
McConnell’s Irish Whisky	66	$25 / 750ml	Irish Whiskey
Kirkland Irish Whiskey	65	$18 / 1500ml	Irish Whiskey
Wellsley Farms Irish Whiskey	65	$28 / 1500ml	Irish Whiskey
Ha’Penny Irish Whiskey	64	$25 / 750ml	Irish Whiskey
Wild Turkey Bourbon	63	$30 / 750ml	Bourbon
Drumshanbo Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey	62	$65 / 750ml	Irish Whiskey
Stillhouse Black Bourbon	61	$20 / 750ml	Bourbon
Maker’s Mark Bourbon	60	$30 / 750ml	Bourbon
Fighting Cock Bourbon	58	$20 / 750ml	Bourbon
Jameson Orange	55	$30 / 750ml	Irish Whiskey
Buffalo Trace	55	$25 / 750ml	Bourbon
Fistful Of Bourbon	53	$40 / 750ml	Bourbon
Kilbrin 10 Year Single Malt Irish Whiskey	52	$55 / 750ml	Irish Whiskey
Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 Tennessee Whiskey	51	$30 / 750ml	Bourbon
Agitator Kentucky Bourbon	50	$35 / 750ml	Bourbon
Howler Head Whiskey	50	$25 / 700ml	Whiskey
Knob Creek Small Batch	49	$35 / 750ml	Bourbon
Blade And Bow	48	$50 / 750ml	Bourbon
Proclamation Irish Whiskey	44	$30 / 750ml	Irish Whiskey
The Temple Bar Irish Whiskey	40	$60 / 750ml	Irish Whiskey
Redemption Bourbon	40	$30 / 750ml	Bourbon
Natterjack Irish Whiskey	35	$35 / 750ml	Irish Whiskey
Hell-Cat Maggie Irish Whiskey	32	$25 / 750ml	Irish Whiskey
Grace O’Malley Believe in Grace Irish Whiskey	31	$40 / 750ml	Irish Whiskey
Baha Founders Reserve	30	$65 / 700ml	Irish Whiskey
Woodford Reserve	29	$35 / 750ml	Bourbon
Breaker	29	$65 / 750ml	Bourbon
Pure Kentucky	28	$35 / 750ml	Bourbon
Stranahan's	27	$60 / 750ml	Whiskey
Egan’s Fortitude Irish Whiskey	26	$45 / 750ml	Irish Whiskey
Winchester Extra Smooth Bourbon Whiskey	15	$30 / 750ml	Bourbon
Jack Daniel's Tennessee Honey	10	$20 / 750ml	Bourbon
Hill Billy Bourbon	9	$20 / 750ml	Bourbon
Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey	5	$25 / 750ml	Whiskey
The Busker Irish Whiskey	4	$35 / 750ml	Irish Whiskey
Kavanagh Irish Whiskey	3	$25 / 750ml	Irish Whiskey
The Balvenie 14 Years Caribbean Cask	1	$100 / 750ml	Scotch
American XXX Born Bourbon Whiskey	1	$25 / 750ml	Bourbon
Highland Park Magnus Single Malt Scotch	0	$40 / 750ml	Scotch
Pops McCann	0	$40 / 750ml	Whiskey
Silkie Irish Whiskey	0	$30 / 750ml	Irish Whiskey

See how all Whiskeys, Tequilas and Vodkas Rank!

Agitator Kentucky Bourbon Manhattan

April 12, 2023April 12, 2023 TJ Provost

My original review of Agitator Kentucky Bourbon left me less than impressed. As a sipper it scored a 50/100. That put it in Mixers or On Ice territory. It is only a $35 bottle but I still hate to poor booze down the drain just because it isn’t Sip Worthy.

That is when I break out my Vermouth and see if making a Manhattan will boost the score a little.

I used my standard recipe for a Manhattan, mixing bourbon to vermouth in a 2 to 1 ratio.

I tried this Agitator Manhattan with, and without Orange Bitters.

I was thinking the red wine finish on this Agitator bourbon would pair well with vermouth and make an amazing Manhattan.

Boy, was I wrong. What I was hoping would become a nice pairing of red wine and vermouth, turned out to clash, and badly.

Agitator Kentucky Bourbon Manhattan Scoring

I’m giving this Agitator Manhattan a 49/100, put it in Just Bad territory.

Pros:

If you like cheap whiskey with strong red wine notes, this might be for you.

Cons:

The red wine finish from the Agitator clashes with the vermouth.

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

See how all Whiskeys, Tequilas and Vodkas Rank!

Stillhouse Black Bourbon Manhattan

April 1, 2023April 1, 2023 TJ Provost

Stillhouse Black Bourbon scored a 61/100 after I recently re-reviewed it with a good bit more Whiskey Dreams knowledge under my belt. So now that Stillhouse Black Bourbon is in Mixed Drink Only territory, how does it stand up as a Manhattan?

The nose on this Stillhouse Manhattan is all sweet fruity vermouth. Whatever nose the Stillhouse had is completely overwhelmed by the vermouth.

This Stillhouse Bourbon makes an odd Manhattan. At first I didn’t like how the astringency mixed with the sweetness of the vermouth, and it leaves an odd lingering taste on my mid tongue, but the more I sipped it, the less it bothered me – but that was probably the alcohol. I really struggled with whether this was a 51, making it Sip Worthy, or if it was a 50, making it Just Bad.

Stillhouse Black Bourbon Manhattan Scoring

At the end of they day I’m going to settle on 50/100, putting it in the If I Had Limited Choices category. My main reason being that I’d rather drink this whiskey straight than make a Manhattan with it, even if its not perfect there either. I still like this Stillhouse Bourbon for camping though. It comes in a very sturdy metal “can” that is perfect for rough handling.

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

Breaker Manhattan

March 23, 2023March 23, 2023 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.

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.

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

Ted’s Montana Grill

February 21, 2023February 21, 2023 TJ Provost

My wife and I had lunch at Ted’s Montana Grill. She had the Snowcrest Sandwhich and I had a burger with fries and onion rings. My wife had a beer and I had two of the “Newly Fashioned” cocktails.

The nose on the Newly Fashioned is all sweet and orange with just a hint of bourbon underneath it. Even my wife, who does not like whiskey found the nose to be quite enjoyable.

The sip is all sweet and citrus and really hides the alcohol. My wife did take a sip, but she said the bourbon was stiller there for her, or at least the alcohol. For me this was a bit too sweet and that sweetness overpowered the bourbon. If you are just getting into bourbon, or like sweet drinks you are going to love this Newly Fashioned.

Ted’s Montana Grill scored a 66/100, making it a restaurant I would go back to If I had Limited Choices. Two things cost Ted’s some points. The first is the cocktail menu and available bourbons is a pretty short list. The second is that it was fairly pricey, with a price tag of $90 for a lunch for two people. The food was good, but not $90 for two people lunch good. Yes, I had two drinks, and my wife had a beer, but between two sandwiches and an appetizer we both walked away saying it was a bit too expensive for what we got.

Place	Location	Score	Price Scale	Drink
Cinder Bar	Clarksboro, NJ	96	High Cost	Manhattan
Saltgrass Steakhouse	Orlando, FL	91	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
The Irish Whisper	National Harbor, MD	90	High Cost	Irish Whiskey
McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood & Steaks	National Harbor, MD	80	High Cost	Manhattan
The Dead Rabbit	New York, NY	75	High Cost	Multiple
Iron Hill Brewery	Wilmington, DE	71	High Cost	Kentucky Connection
Cadillac Ranch	National Harbor, MD	70	Moderate Cost	Multiple
Harry’s Savoy Grill	Wilmington, DE	67	High Cost	Manhattan Boulevardier
Ted’s Montana Grill	Newark, DE	66	Moderate Cost	Newly Fashioned
Creekside Inn	Woodstown, NJ	65	Low to Moderate	Manhattan
Alewife	Richmond, VA	63	High Cost	Manhattan
roanoke	Chicago, IL	55	High Cost	Black Manhattan
Blue Line Lounge & Bar	Chicago, IL	53	Low Cost	Manhattan
Da Andrea	New York, NY	50	High Cost	Manhattan Negroni
Iguana Cafe	Chicago, IL	45	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
The Greene Turtle	Newark, DE	40	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
Restaurante Montserrat Manor	Punta Cana, DR	35	High Cost	Manhattan
Dave & Buster's	Deptford, NJ	30	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
Cock'n Bull	Lahaska, PA	26	High Cost	Manhattan Old Fashioned
The Brass Tap	National Harbor, MD	25	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
Carrol's Creek Cafe	Annapolis, MD	21	High Cost	Manhattan
Big Fish Grill	Wilmington, DE	10	High Cost	Manhattan
The Legend	New Castle, DE	5	Low Cost	Manhattan
TGI Fridays	New Castle, DE	1	Moderate Cost	Manhattan

Cost Scale

Up to $30 per person – Low Cost

$31 to $50 per person – Moderate Cost

$51 and above per person – High Cost

See all Whiskey Places!

Harry’s Savoy Grill

January 29, 2023January 29, 2023 TJ Provost

Harry’s Savoy Grill is one of our favorite restaurants for special occasions. The prime rib is my usual, and I’ve never had a bad meal there. It is expensive, but sometimes you actually do get what you pay for.

The food is always was amazing, and is clearly the primary reason to go to Harry’s. The prime rib and the short rib are my personal favorites.

On the Whiskey front, they have a standard bar with standard quality. I usually start with a Harry’s Manhattan. You can see here that a year can change how a Manhattan is made. The example from a year ago (left side )was a bit watered down. A year later (right side) and the Manhattan actually tasted like bourbon, which is a good them. While it is an improvement over the last time we were there, there was still nothing special about it. It was good, it just didn’t have any pizazz.

Next I tried the Boulevardier.

I enjoyed the Boulevardier cocktail a lot. It has a little more sweetness than the Manhattan but not so much it hides the bourbon. The finish is smooth with a nice citrus zing. I’ll start with the Boulevardier next time.

Harry’s Savoy Grill Scoring

If you are looking for good food and have deep pockets, you can’t beat Harry’s. If you are looking for a Whiskey Bar with lots of choices, there are better options. Harry’s is earning itself a 67/100. The atmosphere is great, and the service is amazing. There are just limited whiskey options.

Place	Location	Score	Price Scale	Drink
Cinder Bar	Clarksboro, NJ	96	High Cost	Manhattan
Saltgrass Steakhouse	Orlando, FL	91	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
The Irish Whisper	National Harbor, MD	90	High Cost	Irish Whiskey
McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood & Steaks	National Harbor, MD	80	High Cost	Manhattan
The Dead Rabbit	New York, NY	75	High Cost	Multiple
Iron Hill Brewery	Wilmington, DE	71	High Cost	Kentucky Connection
Cadillac Ranch	National Harbor, MD	70	Moderate Cost	Multiple
Harry’s Savoy Grill	Wilmington, DE	67	High Cost	Manhattan Boulevardier
Ted’s Montana Grill	Newark, DE	66	Moderate Cost	Newly Fashioned
Creekside Inn	Woodstown, NJ	65	Low to Moderate	Manhattan
Alewife	Richmond, VA	63	High Cost	Manhattan
roanoke	Chicago, IL	55	High Cost	Black Manhattan
Blue Line Lounge & Bar	Chicago, IL	53	Low Cost	Manhattan
Da Andrea	New York, NY	50	High Cost	Manhattan Negroni
Iguana Cafe	Chicago, IL	45	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
The Greene Turtle	Newark, DE	40	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
Restaurante Montserrat Manor	Punta Cana, DR	35	High Cost	Manhattan
Dave & Buster's	Deptford, NJ	30	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
Cock'n Bull	Lahaska, PA	26	High Cost	Manhattan Old Fashioned
The Brass Tap	National Harbor, MD	25	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
Carrol's Creek Cafe	Annapolis, MD	21	High Cost	Manhattan
Big Fish Grill	Wilmington, DE	10	High Cost	Manhattan
The Legend	New Castle, DE	5	Low Cost	Manhattan
TGI Fridays	New Castle, DE	1	Moderate Cost	Manhattan

Cost Scale

Up to $30 per person – Low Cost

$31 to $50 per person – Moderate Cost

$51 and above per person – High Cost

See all Whiskey Places!

Creekside Inn

January 24, 2023January 24, 2023 TJ Provost

The Creekside Inn is a restaurant and bar just off the golf course in Woodstown New Jersey.

The inn is a great place to grab a bite to eat and have a drink while sitting outside overlooking the gold course. They also host events with catering. My brother in law had his 50th birthday party there and everyone had a good time.

We had dinner there Friday night, and I went with my standard Basil Hayden’s Manhattan. It was served in a nice Martini Glass and presented as a little bit light in color.

Creekside Inn Basil Hayden's Manhattan — Creekside Inn Basil Hayden’s Manhattan.

The Manhattan was good, but I think they shook it too long and let it get just a tad watered down. My cousin had a Maker’s Mark on the rocks, and he said his was exactly what you’d expect.

I would describe this as a nice family restaurant. The servers are nice and the atmosphere is slightly upscale when compared to chain restaurants. If you are in the area and are looking for something that didn’t come out of an industrial chain kitchen, it is definitely worth a visit.

Creekside Inn Scoring

Overall, I’m giving the Creekside Inn a 60/100 and putting it in the Moderate Cost Price Scale. If you skipped the drinks it’s Low Cost, so you can get by with spending less.

The food is good and drinks aren’t bad, so why the 65/100? For me its the limited Whiskey and Bourbon selection, which is why I went with my standby, Basil Hayden’s. If your looking for a larger selection of Whiskey, your going to have to drive a bit further.

Place	Location	Score	Price Scale	Drink
Cinder Bar	Clarksboro, NJ	96	High Cost	Manhattan
Saltgrass Steakhouse	Orlando, FL	91	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
The Irish Whisper	National Harbor, MD	90	High Cost	Irish Whiskey
McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood & Steaks	National Harbor, MD	80	High Cost	Manhattan
The Dead Rabbit	New York, NY	75	High Cost	Multiple
Iron Hill Brewery	Wilmington, DE	71	High Cost	Kentucky Connection
Cadillac Ranch	National Harbor, MD	70	Moderate Cost	Multiple
Harry’s Savoy Grill	Wilmington, DE	67	High Cost	Manhattan Boulevardier
Ted’s Montana Grill	Newark, DE	66	Moderate Cost	Newly Fashioned
Creekside Inn	Woodstown, NJ	65	Low to Moderate	Manhattan
Alewife	Richmond, VA	63	High Cost	Manhattan
roanoke	Chicago, IL	55	High Cost	Black Manhattan
Blue Line Lounge & Bar	Chicago, IL	53	Low Cost	Manhattan
Da Andrea	New York, NY	50	High Cost	Manhattan Negroni
Iguana Cafe	Chicago, IL	45	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
The Greene Turtle	Newark, DE	40	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
Restaurante Montserrat Manor	Punta Cana, DR	35	High Cost	Manhattan
Dave & Buster's	Deptford, NJ	30	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
Cock'n Bull	Lahaska, PA	26	High Cost	Manhattan Old Fashioned
The Brass Tap	National Harbor, MD	25	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
Carrol's Creek Cafe	Annapolis, MD	21	High Cost	Manhattan
Big Fish Grill	Wilmington, DE	10	High Cost	Manhattan
The Legend	New Castle, DE	5	Low Cost	Manhattan
TGI Fridays	New Castle, DE	1	Moderate Cost	Manhattan

Cost Scale

Up to $30 per person – Low Cost

$31 to $50 per person – Moderate Cost

$51 and above per person – High Cost

See all Whiskey Places!

Whiskey Places – Alewife

January 11, 2023January 20, 2023 TJ Provost

While in Richmond Virginia for business I was lucky enough to get a reservation ate Alewife. It is a small corner restaurant with a unique menu that can also adjust to make various vegetarian dishes. The staff were both knowledgeable and nice. I’m not a wine drinker, but others in my party were asking questions and our server was able to list off the tasting notes with ease to help them make a selection.

For starters we had Virginia Oysters as well as a potato dish. The oysters were amazing and had just the right touch of hot sauce to give them a kick.

For dinner I selected the Duck Breast. The duck was amazing. I have no idea what it was on, it looked like a sea based plant. I tried eating that but it was just a bit tough so I left it alone after devouring the Duck Breast. My only criticism of the food was the portion size. I’m a big guy and after going to dinner I don’t really like having to go get a snack. That could be a “me” problem, but even one of my fellow diners who is petite commented on the portion size.

You will note that the drink menu is relatively small:

I selected the Linecaster as it was described as a type of Manhattan by the Alewife team.

The Alewife Linecaster was a definite highlight of the meal. I don’t like sweet drinks, and while the Linecaster has a touch of sweetness on the finish, it has wonderful notes of citrus that blend with the bourbon in delightful way.

Scoring

If you are in the Richmond area I would hit Alewife for appetizers and a few drinks. The duck was great, but needed to be paired with a better, more filling side. As a restaurant Alewife scores high marks, as a Whiskey Place it scores a 63/100 because of its minimal whiskey options.

Place	Location	Score	Price Scale	Drink
Cinder Bar	Clarksboro, NJ	96	High Cost	Manhattan
Saltgrass Steakhouse	Orlando, FL	91	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
The Irish Whisper	National Harbor, MD	90	High Cost	Irish Whiskey
McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood & Steaks	National Harbor, MD	80	High Cost	Manhattan
The Dead Rabbit	New York, NY	75	High Cost	Multiple
Iron Hill Brewery	Wilmington, DE	71	High Cost	Kentucky Connection
Cadillac Ranch	National Harbor, MD	70	Moderate Cost	Multiple
Harry’s Savoy Grill	Wilmington, DE	67	High Cost	Manhattan Boulevardier
Ted’s Montana Grill	Newark, DE	66	Moderate Cost	Newly Fashioned
Creekside Inn	Woodstown, NJ	65	Low to Moderate	Manhattan
Alewife	Richmond, VA	63	High Cost	Manhattan
roanoke	Chicago, IL	55	High Cost	Black Manhattan
Blue Line Lounge & Bar	Chicago, IL	53	Low Cost	Manhattan
Da Andrea	New York, NY	50	High Cost	Manhattan Negroni
Iguana Cafe	Chicago, IL	45	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
The Greene Turtle	Newark, DE	40	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
Restaurante Montserrat Manor	Punta Cana, DR	35	High Cost	Manhattan
Dave & Buster's	Deptford, NJ	30	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
Cock'n Bull	Lahaska, PA	26	High Cost	Manhattan Old Fashioned
The Brass Tap	National Harbor, MD	25	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
Carrol's Creek Cafe	Annapolis, MD	21	High Cost	Manhattan
Big Fish Grill	Wilmington, DE	10	High Cost	Manhattan
The Legend	New Castle, DE	5	Low Cost	Manhattan
TGI Fridays	New Castle, DE	1	Moderate Cost	Manhattan

Cost Scale

Up to $30 per person – Low Cost

$31 to $50 per person – Moderate Cost

$51 and above per person – High Cost

See all Whiskey Places!

Whiskey Places – roanoke

August 10, 2022August 10, 2022 TJ Provost

A coworker and myself were super excited to hit roanoke after a long day of travelling to get to Chi town and headed over after checking into our hotels.

We started with the cheese plate and then I had the Steak Frites and my coworker had the Sea Bass. She really liked the Sea Bass but my Steak Frites was way overpriced for the quality and size of the cut.

Of course I had a Manhattan, or in this case a Black Manhattan with my meal:

I’m honestly not a huge fan of Woodford Reserve, and that preference shines through when I give roanoke a 55/100 as an overall score. The primary drivers for that score are poor choice of Whiskey’s overall, and an average at best Black Manhattan combined with expensive food that didn’t really warrant the price. For two people the meal came out to $200 bucks, and that is just not in sync with the quality and value we received.

I’d only go back to roanake If I Had Limited Choices or if someone else were paying.

Place	Location	Score	Price Scale	Drink
Cinder Bar	Clarksboro, NJ	96	High Cost	Manhattan
Saltgrass Steakhouse	Orlando, FL	91	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
The Irish Whisper	National Harbor, MD	90	High Cost	Irish Whiskey
McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood & Steaks	National Harbor, MD	80	High Cost	Manhattan
The Dead Rabbit	New York, NY	75	High Cost	Multiple
Iron Hill Brewery	Wilmington, DE	71	High Cost	Kentucky Connection
Cadillac Ranch	National Harbor, MD	70	Moderate Cost	Multiple
Harry’s Savoy Grill	Wilmington, DE	67	High Cost	Manhattan Boulevardier
Ted’s Montana Grill	Newark, DE	66	Moderate Cost	Newly Fashioned
Creekside Inn	Woodstown, NJ	65	Low to Moderate	Manhattan
Alewife	Richmond, VA	63	High Cost	Manhattan
roanoke	Chicago, IL	55	High Cost	Black Manhattan
Blue Line Lounge & Bar	Chicago, IL	53	Low Cost	Manhattan
Da Andrea	New York, NY	50	High Cost	Manhattan Negroni
Iguana Cafe	Chicago, IL	45	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
The Greene Turtle	Newark, DE	40	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
Restaurante Montserrat Manor	Punta Cana, DR	35	High Cost	Manhattan
Dave & Buster's	Deptford, NJ	30	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
Cock'n Bull	Lahaska, PA	26	High Cost	Manhattan Old Fashioned
The Brass Tap	National Harbor, MD	25	Moderate Cost	Manhattan
Carrol's Creek Cafe	Annapolis, MD	21	High Cost	Manhattan
Big Fish Grill	Wilmington, DE	10	High Cost	Manhattan
The Legend	New Castle, DE	5	Low Cost	Manhattan
TGI Fridays	New Castle, DE	1	Moderate Cost	Manhattan

Cost Scale

Up to $30 per person – Low Cost

$31 to $50 per person – Moderate Cost

$51 and above per person – High Cost