Ready-to-drink cocktail review: Francovich Distillers Manhattan

This calls for whiskey 

This week I'm shaking things up (cocktails pun! LOL) and going straight for the strong stuff. It's been a pretty crappy month for me and while I have a whole line-up of ready-to-drink cocktails chilling in my fridge ready to try, none them seemed right for my current mood. I need a strong, grown-up, put-some-hair-on-your-chest, kind of cocktail. So I hit up Total Wine again and while I was aimlessly staring at the shelf, this nice looking middle-aged man came by and went right for this bottle from Francovich Distillers.

There were a few ready-to-drink Manhattans on the shelf where he beelined so I was casually looking to see which one he was so excited about. I guess he noticed my curiosity because, even though he was already halfway down the aisle again, he turned around and showed me the bottle and told me "these are really good" and a few other details. He had grabbed two bottles and there was only one more on the shelf so I took that as a sign that this was our cocktail for the week. 

I grabbed this bottle and headed over to my lovely friend E's house for dinner. It is always nice to add a second (or third) opinion to these reviews. So how did it go?

Here is my official review of Francovich Distillers Manhattan:

Um, wow! This is a dang good whiskey cocktail. I'm glad I took that guys recommendation. E and I both really liked this one - once I recovered from my first sip. PSA: you are going to want to sip this one, not guzzle it like I did.

While I typically like fun, light cocktails sometimes you are in a season of life where that is just not the thing - which is where I am now, and what propelled me towards a Manhattans this week. Manhattans are a hard core cocktail typically reserved for dudes but there is really no reason we wouldn't like them girls.

If you like whiskey, then this ready-to-drink Manhattan from Francovich Distillers is for you. It tastes shockingly similar to one I had at a fancy underground bar in Portland a few years ago. I'm not sure how they created a perfect Manhattan in bulk and stuck it in this bottle but I'm so, so happy they did!

One shaker = not sweet at all  // Five shakers = your teeth may curl

This is not a sweet cocktail in anyway. Don't let the "sweet vermouth" mentioned on the bottle fool you. This is a strong whiskey cocktail that tastes just like good whiskey. No frills here girls.

One shaker = does this have booze? Five shakers = Four Lokos

Officially this one rings in at 70 proof so it is a good strong drink. This is a grown-up cocktail in every way. If you are looking for a ready-to-drink cocktail that will impress someone who considers themselves a fancy drinker, I highly suggest this one.

Would I buy this ready to drink cocktail again?

I think I would. Although, this bottle will last me a long time. This is a sipping cocktail. I followed the "traditional" method of serving it - a two finger pour over ice - for my friend and I and we barely made a dent in the bottle.

This distiller is located near me in Reno, NV but you can use the store locator on their website to find it in your area.

Have you tried this a ready-to-drink Manhattan before? What did you think? I'd love to hear from you in the comments section. The more opinions the better! Let's "drink together" and share our cocktail stories.