Whiskey, Bourbon, Whisky

Not a big fan of the George Thorogood song--"One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer".  I don't think I'd drink a Bourbon and follow it up with a Scotch. I'd probably stick with one or the other to be honest. And if you're just trying to get drunk? Go with some cheap stuff and leave the top shelf stuff to people who will appreciate it.

But anyway, I'm not posting this to argue the virtues of Bourbon vs. Whiskey vs. Whisky. You know what? I enjoy all of them. Give me a great Irish Whisky, or a Single Malt Scotch Whisky. Hell, I'll drink Jack Daniels and next week Jim Beam.

Tonight, however, I'm having a Colorado Whiskey: Stranahan's.

Some whiskeys are great with a splash of water, some are great with an ice cube that's allowed to melt, some are better with nothing at all.

I will admit--drinking whiskey of any stripe may take some getting used to. It's definitely a sipping type experience, not a dump-it-down-your-throat experience.

It's meant to be savored.

Now, some of you may scoff at a Colorado born whiskey, but this is good stuff.  Take a peek at the label, here are some closeups.

One of the neat touches is what they are listening to at the time they are distilling the batch. Queen isn't a bad choice at all.

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The next photo gives a little information on their process.  Straight from the Rocky Mountains and aged for 2 years in charred oak barrels. 

Unless you're a true snob when it comes to whiskey or you're loyal to bourbon or Scotch, or whatever, you'll enjoy this one.

Cheers.

A Nice Autumn Cocktail: The Manhattan

Autumn has definitely set in up in the Rocky Mountains and there is nothing like a nice cocktail to warm one's insides. 

Here is the Manhattan, another classic cocktail that is simple to mix. There are many variations, but it's hard to go wrong with the traditional ingredients. 

Below is a photo I took just before dinner last night:

              Manhattan In The Mountains

Notice the pleasant amber color. It reminds me of leaves turning in the fall.

This is a strong drink, and as I mentioned, there are many variations. Some of the variations soften it up a bit, but try to stick with the original first and adjust from there. 

Here is how to mix a basic Manhattan.

Ingredients: 

• 2 parts rye (if you must, you can substitute bourbon or whatever whiskey you happen to have.
• 1 part sweet red vermouth
• 2 dashes Angostura bitters
• cherry

If you don't have a cocktail shaker, just use a glass to house the ingredients.  Fill the shaker/glass with ice. Add the bitters, vermouth, and rye. Stir. If you shake the concoction you'll get a layer of foam on the top.

Drop the cherry in a cocktail glass like the one I used above, and strain the liquid from the shaker/glass into the cocktail glass. Enjoy. 

One way to soften the drink is to dump in a little bit of cherry juice, or add more sweet vermouth. 

Do you have a variation on the Manhattan?