Manhattan Archives - Page 2 of 3

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 – Big Fish Grill

July 24, 2022July 24, 2022 TJ Provost

I few weeks ago we went to Big Fish Grill for lunch with my sons and their girlfriends. The seafood is always good, but it does get pricey.

For my drink I ordered a Manhattan and didn’t specify the Bourbon, so I ended up getting Jim Beam as their default whiskey – or at least on the day I was there.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is 2021_A_BigFishGrill_WhiskeyMenu.jpg — Big Fish Grill Spirits Menu

How was it?

Honestly it was fairly tasteless and not that good, and when you are paying a premium for the meal, that kind of sucks. Still, the seafood is always good, I would just skip the pasta seafood dishes, your paying a lot for a dollar of pasta and a handful of seafood in the sauce.

The Jim Beam Manhattan at Big Fish Grill is getting a 10/100, making it Just Bad. I will make sure I order the Bulliet or Makers next time. My advice is to go for the food but not if you are looking Whiskey Dreams.

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

Whiskey Places – Da Andrea

July 17, 2022July 17, 2022 TJ Provost

Da Andrea is located at 35 west 13th Street in Manhattan. They special in Italian Food and based on what one of my friends told me, the wine list is decent, but not huge. I’m not a wine drinker, so I’m trusting their opinion that the wine list was well constructed to match the price point of the food. The Whiskey Menu however, is not very big at all.

I had the Pappardelle (Pappardelle, sweet sausage ragout, truffle oil) and paired that with their Manhattan. The food was good, and for Manhattan I guess it was priced reasonably. What does that mean? For me a $26 dollar bowl of pasta better be amazing. It was good, but I think we were really paying for the fact that its a comfortable sit down restaurant in Manhattan.

How was the Manhattan?

The Cinzano 1757 is the star of this Manhattan. It takes the Bulleit Rye and just adds so much depth and a wonderful finish to each sip. When it comes to ingredients, Cinzano 1757 is at the top of my list of bottles I need to add to my shelf. Is this Manhattan worth $20 bucks? Only if you are drinking it with friends in Manhattan.

Next I moved on to the Negroni. Since there only two whiskey drinks on the menu, I had to try both right?

I’m not in love with the Negroni (as a drink) like I am with a Manhattan. I enjoy them now and then, but I am one those people people that find Campari to taste a little medicinal. It was good, but I went back to the Manhattan after the Negroni. Yes, I had a headache when I woke up the next morning.

Da Andrea is scoring a 50/100. Putting it dead center in the “If I had Limited Choices” category. I enjoyed the food and Manhattan was good, but Da Andrea has a very limited Whiskey Menu.

If you are in New York and are after a larger Whiskey Menu, try The Dead Rabbit instead.

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

Mixed Drinks – American XXX Born Bourbon Whiskey Manhattan

July 6, 2022July 6, 2022 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.

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

Whiskey Places – TGI Fridays

July 5, 2022July 5, 2022 TJ Provost

My wife and I used to hit this TGI Fridays on a monthly basis as we both worked nearby and would meet for lunch whenever we could.

My suggestion, get the Whiskey-Glazed Sesame Chicken Strips. These are the reason I go to TGI Fridays and they really do make it worth the visit.

However, we are here to talk about whiskey, and TGI Fridays is just not a place to go if you are looking for whiskey selection. The cocktail menu is just very limited:

Our server was incredibly nice and helpful, but when I asked what the whiskey’s they had I couldn’t help but chuckle internally when she said they had Jameson, Maker’s Mark, and Straight Kentucky, which is just the descriptor on their menu for Maker’s.

So of course I went with a Maker’s Mark Manhattan. As our waitress delivered the drink she apologized and said the bartender was new, so your experience with TGI Fridays may be different.

What I got was a watered down glass Maker’s Mark. I don’t think there was any vermouth in it and hardly any whiskey either.

I told the waitress no worries, everyone has to start somewhere, and drank the drink – but did not order another, and yes, I still left a nice tip.

The Whiskey-Glazed Sesame Chicken Strips are the reason to go to TGI Fridays for me, but when ranking it as a Whiskey Place I have to give it a 1/100, setting a new record low for “Will Never Go Back” Whiskey Places.

Next time I pass a TGI Fridays I’ll go in and give them another try, but with such a limited whiskey menu, I can’t really imagine it getting much better.

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

Whiskey Gifts – 10 oz Lowball YETI Rambler

July 3, 2022July 3, 2022 TJ Provost

I originally bought these Lowball YETI Ramblers so that my Manhattans wouldn’t sweat and leave a ring on furniture. I tried a few other brands which were quite frankly cheaper, but they didn’t hold up nearly as well. After a few cycles in the dishwasher those cheaper brands either left a metallic taste to whatever I put in the cup, or the vacuum seal broke and the cup would collect water inside the double walled layer. Either way they cost me more money than just starting with these Lowball YETI Ramblers.

I have replaced all the smaller cups in my pantry with them. Mostly because everyone else in my family loves how they keep cold drinks cold, and you guess it, hot drinks hot. For me, it is all about keeping the cold drinks cold. When I make a Manhattan I want the first sip and last sip to taste the same. That means I want it ice cold coming out of the shaker. With a regular glass that last sip is warm before I get to it, and if I use ice, the last sip is cold, but diluted.

Thankfully these Lowball YETI Ramblers are amazing at keeping cocktails cold.

They are also nearly indestructible. The original two Ramblers I started with are going strong and they’ve gone through hundreds of dishwasher cycles, been left out on the deck in the rain, and been taken all over the country on vacations. When it comes to the perfect Whiskey Gift, these Lowball YETI Ramblers are perfect for everyone from the expert whiskey drinker to the brand new novice.

Made from durable stainless steel.
Uses double-wall vacuum insulation.
Includes YETI MagSlider Lid.
YETI Ramblers are BPA-free and dishwasher safe.
No Sweat Design makes sure your hands and furniture stay dry.
Tough Duracoat coating on the colored tumblers won’t crack, peel or fade.
Ideal drinking companion at home or around the campsite.
Dimensions are: 4 1/8 inches high, 3 ½ inches in diameter.

Awesome Whiskey Gifts

Item	Category	Rank	Price
Glencairn Whisky Glass Set	Must Have	100	Under $60
Lowball YETI Rambler	Must have	99	Under $20
Titanium Hip Flask	Must have	98	Under $50
Hubby and Wifey Hand Etched Whiskey Glasses	Must have	90	Under $40

Whiskey Places – Iguana Cafe

July 1, 2022July 1, 2022 TJ Provost

As always, remember that when I’m ranking a Whiskey Place, that is exactly what I’m doing. I’m primarily ranking it as a Whiskey Place, and while the food and setting can impact that, I’m really ranking the place based on if I’d go there solely to have Whiskey Dreams.

So how does Iguana Bistro + Cafe stand up? The staff were really nice, and there was a “Chess meat up” going on while we were there. It was interesting to see this smallish bistro turn into a very friendly game night. It made the place very homey.

On the whiskey side, I got a little worried because other than the martini list, and a Jameson Moscow Mule, I didn’t really see any whiskey drinks.

They do have a bar though, and thankfully didn’t blink when I asked for a Manhattan. Made with what? I have no idea. The waitress was zooming around and I’m not sure if there was also a bit of a language barrier. Just to be clear, I’m not complaining. She was really busy and got our drinks very quickly, she was just super busy and didn’t have time to stand around and chat.

I’m guessing they used a rye whiskey. The sip starts very mildly sweet, then turns to cinnamon and finishes with a nice pepper and subtle wood char. Overall, a very nice Manhattan. I liked it so much I ordered another and enjoyed it as I watched a ten year old kid demolish three adults in quick succession in chess.

I didn’t order any food, but one of my friends had a meatloaf sandwich and said they enjoyed it. I got the sense from everyone who was eating that the food was excellent.

As a Whiskey Place I’ve got to give the Iguana Café a 45/100. It is a nice café and I would go back for lunch to try the food, but it is essentially an upscale neighborhood bar with the whiskey’s you’d find there.

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

Whiskey Places – Blue Line Lounge & Grill

June 26, 2022June 26, 2022 TJ Provost

It was freezing cold when I was in Chicago the first week of January, and when I say freezing cold, I mean cold. My coworkers and I were not actually planning on going to the Blue Line Lounge & Bar, but we were freezing and the lights were on. We went in to get warm and ended up having a few drinks.

I ordered my usual Manhattan and enjoyed some good company and the warm interior of the bar. As soon as I tasted the Manhattan I thought I recognized it. After looking at the menu, I realized they were using Redemption Bourbon, which scored a 40/100 as a sipper. When I made this Redemption Manhattan at home, the Vermouth definitely helped smooth out some of the rough edges, and the score rose to a 53/100.

I’m going to say that the Blue Line Lounge and Bar Manhattan tasted about the same as what I made, so I’m holding to that score of a 53/100. As a whiskey bar, this place doesn’t have a huge selection, and is about as good as any city bar, so I feel like it earned it place in the “If I Had Limited Choices” category.

On the plus side, they had a grilled cheese sandwich with beef brisket that was just amazing. If you are drunk (or getting drunk) I highly recommend adding the grilled cheese/beef brisket sandwich to your order. It was gooey, and the brisket had just the right amount of sweet and salty. It was perfect on a cold Chicago night to help soak up some of the alcohol.

On the price side, the Blue Line Lounge & Bar was low cost if you order a meal and a drink. Just like any restaurant, if you go nuts on the booze the price is going to rise.

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

Mixed Drinks – Redemption Bourbon Manhattan

June 25, 2022June 25, 2022 TJ Provost 1 Comment

I was not overly impressed with Redemption Bourbon when I first reviewed it. It had a lot of rough edges and it was not a whiskey I’d drink neat. As a sipper Redemption Bourbon scored a 40/100, making it fit to make mixed drinks with. Read the full review here.

Since it didn’t make the cut as a sipper, let’s see if Redemption Bourbon can redeem itself in a classic Manhattan.

This bottle of Redemption was sitting on a shelf for a while after I tried it neat. That’s problem because my wife gets mad at me if I have bottles overflowing from the bar. With no other choices, I figured I’d better polish the bottle off, no matter how much I didn’t like it the first time around.

I went in with a little concern that a Redemption Bourbon Manhattan wouldn’t be much better than the base whiskey. Thankfully, the vermouth did its magic and smoothed out a lot of the rough edges and helped line up some of the positive notes in the base whiskey. The sweetness and maybe the volume dilation that the vermouth added took the harshness off the Redemption and allowed me to appreciate more of the vanilla and spice. I’m not a huge fan of rye though, so the vermouth may also help round out those rye notes that I’m just not programmed to like from the start.

When making a Manhattan, this Redemption Bourbon jumped 13 point, bringing it to a 53/100, which is a respectable 32.5% increase. While it is better, it still leaves this Redemption Bourbon Manhattan in the “If I had Limited Choices” category.

Pros

Smooths out most of the rough edges the straight bourbon had.
The sweetness of the vermouth mixes with the hard edges of the Redemption and turns it into a nice mixed drink.

Cons

Even with the vermouth, this Manhattan has a little bit of burn going down the throat.

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

Whiskey Dreams – Knob Creek Small Batch Manhattan

June 20, 2022June 20, 2022 TJ Provost

I prefer my bourbon on the rocks, as I find that a little ice helps open up the whiskey. This is how I tried Knob Creek Small Batch to begin with, and quite honestly, I found it not to my taste.

What do I do with bottles of whiskey I don’t really enjoy? I find that making Manhattan’s with them makes the whiskey much more palatable. For whiskey I don’t like on the rocks I use the classic Manhattan recipe:

Two ounces of whiskey
One ounce of sweet vermouth

I user a Shaker and get the cocktail nice and cold before pouring it into my trusty YETI Rambler 10 oz Lowball. This 10 oz Rambler is perfect for ice cold cocktails. A martini glass looks cool, but this Rambler won’t sweat or leave a condensation ring. Because of its double walled design, it will also keep the warm from your hand from warming up that previous cocktail. This means the last sip will be as cold as the first.

Did the prep work pay off? Was a Knob Creek Small Batch Manhattan good?

Yes, but not jump up and down yes. The vermouth really helped round out the rough edges I didn’t like in Knob Creek Small Batch straight or on ice. As a Manhattan, this whiskey gained more body and lost a lot of those rough edges. For me it earned a 69/100, putting it in the “If I Had Limited Choices” category. The Vermouth really turns the burnt sugar into something smoother, but not enough that I’d choose it over something else if I had a choice.

Pros

Turns the burnt taste of this bourbon when straight into something softer and drinkable.

Cons:

The sugar in the Vermouth adds to the flavor, but if your watching your sugar like I am, you have to be careful not to have too many Manhattans.

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