In our blind tasting, New York bartender Jeremy Oertel’s recipe received over the judges for its richness and full physique. Seven years later, his most popular whiskey for the basic, Rittenhouse Rye, stays the identical: “Rittenhouse is by far the most effective budget-friendly, and possibly finest general,” he says. Portland’s Katie Stipe additionally appreciates the flexibility of the storied, balanced rye, calling it her “eternally go-to” for classics past the Manhattan, together with Sazeracs, Outdated-Fashioneds and Boulevardiers.