What's The Best Rye for Making A Manhattan? We Asked These Bartenders For Their Picks

212 is the area code for Manhattan, and it’s also the recipe formula for the city’s namesake whiskey cocktail: 2 oz. of rye, 1 oz. sweet vermouth, and 2 dashes of Angostura bitters. It’s a timeless classic, and arguably the most popular rye cocktail of all time.

On paper, it’s a very simple drink with just those three ingredients, but what sets every Manhattan apart—aside from the person making it—are the types of whiskeys and vermouths that make it into the mixing glass.

There was a time not long ago when finding different rye whiskeys wasn’t so easy, as rye lived in the shadow of bourbon. For the most part, bars stocked Old Overholt, Pikesville, Rittenhouse, Canadian Club, and that was about it. But with the rejuvenation of cocktail culture in the early aughts came a newfound appreciation for rye, and distillers across the country heeded the call.

With so many ryes to choose from now, choosing a great cocktail rye can be overwhelming. So we consulted with six bartenders from the Big Apple to the West Coast to get their top picks. From ryes aged in Jamaican rum casks and expressions hailing from Colorado to whiskeys from legacy brands in the heart of Kentucky, here are some bartender favorites for making Manhattans.

Doc Swinson’s Funky Drummer

SC Baker, bar lead at Louisville’s Epiphany, works in the heart of Kentucky, so she’s well-acquainted with the American whiskey world. For her go-to Manhattan rye, though, her choice is from Washington state: Doc Swinson’s Funky Drummer. The brand doesn’t distill its own whiskey, but instead sources it from various distillers, then blends and finishes them in experimental casks. To make Funky Drummer, specifically, Doc Swinson’s finishes a rye in Jamaican rum casks.

“This is a straight rye filled with tropical fruit notes that open up into a profile reminiscent of cola and Dr Pepper,” she says. “I like pairing this whiskey with Cocchi di Torino vermouth because Cocchi has a root beer profile that I think complements the rye really well and makes for a Manhattan with an elaborate but cohesive network of flavors.”

Rieger Straight

Bryan Arri owns Kansas City, Missouri’s Fern Bar, which specializes in sugar cane and agave spirits, but there’s a special place in his heart for rye whiskey. When a guest calls for a Manhattan, he grabs a bottle of J. Rieger & Co. Straight rye. The local Kansas City brand closed during Prohibition, but was revived in 2014 by a Rieger family member and Kansas City mixologist Ryan Maybee, with the help of legendary distillers Dave Pickerell and Tom Nichol.

“At 45%TK ABV, I love this rye because the micro-terroir is easily tasted in the bottle. The rickhouse sits alongside an active train track, and the vibration caused by the trains rolling by accentuates the aging process,” Arri says. “The tannin and lignin imparted by the new Missouri oak barrels result in a floral, cherry-like nose with notes of cacao nibs, cherry cola, and sunflower seeds on the palate. I like to pair it with Punt E Mes for its amaro-like spice and herb flavors. I’ll also reach for Lacuesta for a slightly softer Manhattan.”

Peerless Toasted

Ben Wald sees high-proof rye as the key to making a delicious, balanced Manhattan. The former head of beverage programming at The Flatiron Room in New York City, Wald had a wide array of rare, niche whiskeys to choose from for making cocktails, but his favorite is Peerless Toasted rye.

“It's got the proof to really stand up to any vermouth, split base, or whatever you’re going to throw at it,” he says. “The toasted cask also adds this really fun marzipan sweetness that makes a Manhattan (or any cocktail, for that matter) more complex. I enjoy a higher-proof whiskey for my stirred drinks because I want to taste the whiskey. A 140-proof bottling may not be ideal, but something in the 100s is just right with me.”

Laws Whiskey House: San Luis Valley Bottled in Bond

Bar lead at NYC’s soon-to-open Oriana, Miranda Midler, says that she looks to the San Luis Valley Bottled in Bond rye from Colorado’s Laws Whisky House for her ideal Manhattan. The brand prides itself on making distillate with heirloom grains, aiming to craft whiskeys that showcase the terroir of the American West.

“This particular rye is anything but shy. Its bold 95% rye and 5% barley mashbill leans savory, funky, and delightfully polarizing for some whiskey aficionados,” she says. “At times, the battling flavors seem to jostle for attention on the palate, but when stirred into a Manhattan, this rye transforms. The familiar richness of Carpano Antica—my go-to vermouth—and the steady backbone of Angostura bitters anchor the rye’s wilder edges, transforming it into something surprising, elegant, and just off the beaten path—exactly where the best cocktails should be.”

Wild Turkey 101

At Donna’s in Los Angeles, Italian comfort food classics are paired with forward-thinking, yet approachable cocktails served up by bartender Linda Douglas. Her go-to Manhattan rye is a reliable industry favorite that can be found at just about any liquor store in the country: Wild Turkey 101.

“The whiskey’s nose of orange, ginger candy, clove, and cracked pepper is easily uplifted by a mix of orange and aromatic bitters,” she says. “With flavors of tobacco, leather, and a medium-long finish, this bottle goes great with the dark red cherry botanicals in Lustau Vermut Rojo. I especially love split-basing my vermouth with amaro [.5 oz. vermouth and .5 oz. amaro]. In a stirred cocktail where other ryes feel thinned out, 101 doesn’t.”

Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 year old

For Jeremy Barrett, general manager and co-beverage director of Chicago’s Lemon, the best rye for a Manhattan needs little introduction: Kentucky-based Willett Distillery’s Family Estate Small Batch 4 year old. The whiskey is bottled at cask strength, so it’s no shrinking violet, but that’s exactly why Barrett feels it works so well in the Manhattan formula.

“Willett can hold its own when paired with any flavor-forward vermouth, while still remaining the star of the show and allowing the aromatic notes from the Angostura bitters to enhance its already baking spice-driven profile,” he says. “One of my favorite vermouths to use is Carpano Antica, which frankly can be quite a bully in drinks due to its strong vanilla and spice profile, so it needs an equally aggressive whiskey to put it in its place.”