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VinePair published recommendations from 10 bartenders on whiskey bottles they use in classic cocktails, including the Old Fashioned, Manhattan and Whiskey Sour. The selections vary by drink and bartender, with proof, flavor and personal preference shaping the choices.
VinePair has published recommendations from 10 bartenders on the whiskey bottles they choose for classic cocktails, including the Old Fashioned, Manhattan and Whiskey Sour. The report highlights how drink style, proof and flavor preferences can lead bartenders to choose different bottles for the same recipe.
The bartenders’ answers do not point to one universal bottle for each drink. Brandon Judd, beverage manager at Camel Club in Lexington, Kentucky, favors Old Bardstown Bottled-in-Bond for an Old Fashioned, saying its 100-proof structure holds up to demerara syrup and bitters. For a Manhattan, he recommends Rittenhouse Bottled-in-Bond Rye, whose spice, he says, counters sweet vermouth.
For a Whiskey Sour, Judd names Elijah Craig Small Batch, citing its fruit, oak and warm spice. His Boulevardier pick is Old Forester 100 Proof Rye, which he says can stand up to Campari and sweet vermouth. These are his choices, not a ranking or a claim that other bottles cannot work.
Toby Maloney, co-author of The Classic Cocktail Sessions and owner of The Elbow Room in Vancouver, Washington, also recommends 100-proof whiskey for an Old Fashioned, naming Old Forester Signature 100 Bourbon. For his Manhattan, he chooses Rittenhouse rye; for a Whiskey Sour, Wild Turkey 101 Rye. His wildcard is a Ward Eight made with Copper & Kings Straight Bourbon Whiskey finished in American apple brandy barrels.
New York beverage director Ricky Dolinsky offers a different set of selections: Hillrock Solera Aged Bourbon for an Old Fashioned, Old Grand-Dad 114 for a Manhattan, Yellowstone Bourbon 86 for a Whiskey Sour, and Old Forester 86 Proof for a Paper Plane. The source report says 10 bartenders contributed, but the supplied material includes only part of its recommendations.
How Whiskey Changes Each Cocktail
The recommendations show why choosing a whiskey is more than selecting bourbon or rye. Proof and flavor affect how the spirit holds up against ingredients such as vermouth, citrus, bitters and amaro. A whiskey that works in a slow-sipping Old Fashioned may not produce the same balance in a sour or a bitter, citrus-led Paper Plane.
For readers making drinks at home, the report offers specific bottles to try alongside the reasoning behind each bartender’s choice. It also makes clear that preferences differ: some bartenders prioritize a spicy rye, while others seek fruit, sweetness or a higher-proof backbone. The recommendations are expert opinions, not a formal tasting test or consensus ranking.
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Bartenders’ Picks Across Four Drinks
The report focuses on three familiar whiskey cocktails—the Old Fashioned, Manhattan and Whiskey Sour—and asks each bartender for a wildcard cocktail as well. That format connects bottle suggestions to particular recipes rather than treating a whiskey as a single-purpose purchase.
Judd describes preferring rye in an Old Fashioned, but says Old Bardstown bourbon makes a compelling case. Maloney, meanwhile, emphasizes how a 100-proof whiskey can retain a defined presence as ice melts in a slowly consumed Old Fashioned. Their comments illustrate individual approaches; they do not establish a single historical or technical rule for the drink.
“The last sip should still have a defined whiskey presence, so a big personality is key.”
— Toby Maloney, co-author of The Classic Cocktail Sessions
Limits of the Recommendations
The supplied report excerpt does not include the full recommendations from all 10 bartenders, so it does not support a complete list of their picks. It also gives no shared scoring method, blind-tasting results or prices for the bottles. The recommendations reflect individual bartenders’ preferences and descriptions; readers may experience the flavors differently, and availability can vary by location.
Putting the Bottle Picks to Use
There is no announced follow-up or formal next milestone in the provided material. Readers can use the listed bottles as starting points, comparing a bartender’s suggested whiskey with alternatives in the same cocktail and adjusting to personal taste. The report’s remaining recommendations would be needed to represent the full set of 10 bartenders’ choices.
Key Questions
Which whiskey does the report recommend for an Old Fashioned?
There is no single report-wide pick. Brandon Judd recommends Old Bardstown Bottled-in-Bond, while Toby Maloney chooses Old Forester Signature 100 Bourbon and Ricky Dolinsky names Hillrock Solera Aged Bourbon.
What whiskey does Brandon Judd use in a Manhattan?
Judd recommends Rittenhouse Bottled-in-Bond Rye. He says its spice provides a counterpoint to sweet vermouth.
Do the bartenders agree on one best whiskey for a Whiskey Sour?
No. Judd names Elijah Craig Small Batch, Maloney chooses Wild Turkey 101 Rye, and Dolinsky recommends Yellowstone Bourbon 86. The report presents these as individual preferences.
What does the report say about whiskey proof?
Some bartenders favor higher-proof bottles, saying they retain a noticeable whiskey character alongside other ingredients or as ice melts. The recommendations vary, however, and the report does not establish a universal proof requirement for these cocktails.
Source: vinepair.com
