36th Vote Barreled Manhattan by High West

The High West Barreled Manhattan is made from two parts of High West's Double Rye Whiskey, one part sweet red vermouth, and two dashes of Angostura bitters for every 2.5-ounce serving. It was then aged in a 2-year-old rye whiskey barrel for 3-6 months. The addition of the vermouth lowers the pH and the percent alcohol by volume - increasing the break down of the oak's hemi-cellulose, increasing the wood sugars that dissolve into the "cocktail" inside. Because a barrel "breaths", there's also some oxidation of the "cocktail." This mellows out the sharpness of the bitters and vermouth, making what we think is a darn fine elixir.