It is American whiskey, without question that is synonymous with the cocktail; all of the classic mixes were based around the American spirit. The Manhattan, the Old-Fashioned, the Sazerac - all classics based on the rustic spirit from America. The whiskey possesses the wonderful high notes and spice because of the prolific use of virgin oak in the maturation. Rye whiskey is one of the original American spirits, the basis of many of the classic cocktails we still enjoy today, including the Manhattan. In America, rye whiskey must have a mash bill consisting of at least 51% rye amongst other grains.

A few bourbons stand out with a high rye content that makes for a bold, spicy flavor. Four Roses Single Barrel has the highest rye count of any bourbon on the market, at 35 percent. Other high-ryes include Bulleit, Jim Beam's Basil Hayden, and Old Grand Dad. Flavors can vary: Bulleit is the fruitiest of them all. Basil (who was a pioneering distiller in the late 18th century) is the lightest of the Jim Beam Small Batch and has a nice spicy rye bite, but it lacks the full body of Bulleit. Old Grand Dad comes in three versions: 80 proof, 100, and 114 (that's Basil's image on the Old Grand Dad bottle). Both are made by Beam, so they are similar in flavor, but OGD's three variations, of course, get bolder the higher you go.