Location: Katz's, Houston, Texas 

Date: September 2020

Price: $12.00

Recipe: Rye Whiskey, Sweet Vermouth and Angostura Bitters 

Garnish: Luxardo maraschino cherry

Served: Up

Comments: On the larger side which as it was served "up" in a tumbler warmed a little too quickly

What is this about? Check out  http://www.somanywhiskies.com/item/749-the-manhattan-project-ii

The third expression in this series is, like the other two, bottled at 40% ABV.  The nose has lots of dried fruits, prunes, raisins, digestive biscuits and a slight farmyuard, vegatal funkiness.   The taste is more dried fruit, prunes, bitter dark chocolate and citrus peel.  The mouthfeel is quite creamy, chewy and even oily.  The finish is spicy with fresh cut jalepenos and black pepper.  Not massively complex... consider if Macallan had an off day.  However Macallan's bad days are still better than many distilleries good days.

This is the second whisky in this range I have tried.   Like the others it is a 40% ABV, NAS, private label bottling for Total Wines with little clue to it's origin other than Scotland.... there is no Grangestone distillery (although the rate at which distilleries open now it is not impossible that I could be wrong about that).  Vanilla hits you immediately in the nose, along with sweet caramel and ripe bananas.  The taste has more banana, butterscotch and some pepper.  The finish get slightly bitter and oaky.  Not spectacular, but a solid "bourbon" cask expression.

Location: Ristorante del Lago, The Broadmoor, Colorado Springs 

Date: July 2020

Price: $14.00

Recipe: Padua Manhattan which according to menu is ... Michters Rye, Green Chartreuse, Aperol, Orange Bitters

Garnish: Lemon Peel

Served: Up

Comments: Good cocktail, but not a Manhattan

What is this about? Check out  http://www.somanywhiskies.com/item/749-the-manhattan-project-ii

This Japanese plum flavored whiskey is bottled at 30% ABV.  There is sweet, and then there is "have the number of a good dentist handy" sweet.  This one falls into the second category.  The nose is sweet but also delicately floral.  There are some plum notes are in the taste, more sugarplums than The Nutcracker aand some prunes and jelly babies.  Imagine a whiskey flavored Jelly Bean.  The finish is a thick coating of sugar on the teeth combined with some mint from the toothpaste you will have to keep nearby.

Location: Fogo de Chao, Denver, CO

Date: July 2020

Price: $13.50

Recipe: Buffalo Trace, Carpano Antica, Blood Orange, Angusturo Bitters

Garnish: Orange peel

Served: Rocks

Comments: A little Orange peel or Triple sec or Orange bitters is good, but this was overpowered by Orange juice. It was fine, but not a Manhattan.

What is this about? Check out  http://www.somanywhiskies.com/item/749-the-manhattan-project-ii

Location: The Tavern, The Broadmoor, Colorado Springs 

Date: July 2020

Price: $14.00

Recipe: Spencer's Manhattan which according to menu is ... Rye Whiskey, Drambuie, Bitters

Garnish: 3 cherries

Served: Up

Comments: Drambuie in a Manhattan?  No Vermouth? That was a first.  The color strongly suggests that vermouth was in the recipe.

What is this about? Check out  http://www.somanywhiskies.com/item/749-the-manhattan-project-ii

This is a 45% ABV Colorado produced straight rye I was able to try on recent family trip to Denver.  The nose is sweet and fruity, candy and fresh cut grass and after some time some grainy notes (suggesting it is probably quite young).  The taste starts spicy and sweet; Hot Tamales, cinnamon and cola.  With time some sweet dried fruits like prunes develop as well.  The finish has peppermint which fades to leave a signature herbal note.  Overall a classic young rye, fresh, fruity, peppery and sweet all at the same time.

Location: Total Wine and More, Houston, TX

Date: June 2020

Price: $24.99

Recipe: According to packet... whiskey, vermouth, caramel color

Garnish: I added 2 Luxardo Maraschino cherries

Served: Rocks

Comments:Way over priced even for 100 ml.... but it was much better than I expected for a recipe that included "caramel color"

What is this about? Check out  http://www.somanywhiskies.com/item/749-the-manhattan-project-ii

I always find myself so drawn to rum influenced whisky that there is a part of me that thinks maybe I should just drink rum? Anyway this no age statement variation on the theme is bottled at 40% ABV and pretty good value at under $40 in bottle (in Texas anyway). The nose is sweet and fruity with perhaps the tell-tale Glenlivet pineapple notes lurking in the background. The taste starts sweet as well with toffee and brown sugars and I found quite oily. I don’t get fresh fruits but more candy fruit flavors, like Starburst or boiled sweets. The finish balances out the sweetness with bitter citrus oil and peel, essential oils and woody tannins. A little water turns the oily mouthfeel into something more creamy and brings out some banana notes. Really good value.