Handy & Schiller Barreled Manhattan

A grey, dank day. Thanksgiving turkey soup cooking. Perfect day for Manhattans. I am pretty regimented with Rittenhouse and Carpano Antica. So this, a sample given from a neighbor, decided I will start my cocktail du jour with the Handy & Schiller Manhattan. The Manhattan consists of “Sazerac Rye, vermouth, Peychaud’s bitters and caramel color.” Nose: Rye-based nose. The vermouth aroma is on the lighter side, almost non-apparent. Maraschino cherries, vanilla and white pepper, though faint. Palate: The vermouth is present giving a pleasant sweetness. Soft and silky texture containing barrel spices, cinnamon, fennel, with a good vanilla and cherries. Finish: The finish has a nice charcoal surround, coating the tongue. Spearmint and white pepper and the remnants of cherries. Overall: Not a bad pre-made Manhattan. The Sazerac qualities are definitely detectable. Some pre-made can be sickly sweet, saccharine and/or artificial. This is an acceptable Manhattan that is good to have as a grab and go when off to a gathering where concocting own may be cumbersome. The High West pre-made would be my first choice for a Manhattan (or pre-made Old Fashioned.) followed by Sagamore Manhattan finish. [86/100][Tasted: 11/25/23]

An elegant pre-mixed cocktail, delicately crafted; it starts with a spicy life and concludes with a balanced end. April / December 2018