[BigOlChiefsfan]

A manhattan is a whiskey martini, for all intents. I make my manhattan with Rye whiskey, as they were originally made. Rye is a lot easier to find nowdays, Old Overholt is available almost everywhere - it's cheap and very good. I keep Old Overholt, and Wild Turkey rye 101, there are a a lot more nowdays but those are the two I always keep in stock. Rittenhouse 100 and Russel's Reserve, Baby Sazerac are available here in KC. Old Overholt runs $12 or so, the others run up to the mid $20s.

Pour a jigger of rye, third to half a jigger or so of sweet vermouth and a few shakes of bitters in a cocktail shaker with one ice cube. I shake until the ice is mostly gone, then serve in a 'rocks' glass. Most bars usually put them in a cocktail glass, like a martini. Some folks do like the maraschino cherry, I skip them. Have one buddy who likes them so much that he keeps a jar of the cherries, drained of their juice and refilled with bourbon. I think they ruin my boyish figure.

I've gotten a few of my friends hooked on these. After they ran thru the Russell's Reserve I gave them, they had trouble finding more real rye at their liquor store, so they learned to like them made with canadian whiskey. Most Canadian contains some rye in their blend, less now than in the past.

You can make the same recipe with blended Scotch, then they're called a Rob Roy. They're all a pretty good drink on a chilly night. Or a hot night, come to think of it.