The 8 Bottles You Must Have for the Holidays

It’s no secret that our preferred household drink is the Manhattan. Blame it on a several-season obsession with Mad Men, the waterfall of excellent brown spirits pouring from Empire State distilleries, or the oversized ice cube trays that Jim Meehan of PDT recommended a few years ago.

No doubt, this preference was also inspired by the exquisite — and surprising — history of the rise and fall of this iconic cocktail told by St. John Frizell in the launch issue of Edible Manhattan. The Manhattan is perfect in its simplicity — rye, vermouth, bitters. But also lends itself to a range of variations.

So, to add to the surfeit of year-end lists, here are the 8 bottles of liquor (and mixers) — all made in the great state of New York — that will keep you and your loved ones in Manhattans through the New Year and beyond. At times I have favored one of these local whiskeys over another. But the reality is that it’s nice to mix it up, a little Finger Lakes flavor one night, a Long Island pour another. Call it bioregionalism in a shaker.

1. A bottle of Manhattan Rye from Tuthilltown Spirits in the Hudson Valley. The first, Post-Prohibition farm distillery in New York has been a trendsetter and bartender favorite ever since.

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2. A bottle of Rough Rider whiskey from Long Island Spirits in Mattituck. The more affordable and available follow-up creation to the limited edition Pine Barrens whiskey, made with Blue Point Brewery mash.

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3. A bottle of McKenzie Rye Whiskey from Finger Lakes Distilling, which also makes the delicious Seneca Drums gin for all your gimlet-lovers.

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4. A bottle of “77″ Whiskey from Breukelen Distillery featured in the current Drinks Issue of Edible Brooklyn.

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5. A bottle of Channing Daughters Winery dry Vervino (variation #1). The latest addition to the American vermouth revolution, this complicated recipe is made from dozens of locally foraged botanicals — from beach rose to yarrow to nasturtium. Another excellent (and more economical) vermouth to have on-hand is Atsby.

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6. Assortment of Hella Bitters, the Brooklyn-made cocktail condiments also featured in our Drinks Issue. The Citrus or Aromatic bottles are our favorites for Manhattans or even Brooklyns.

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7. A quick pour of Crown Maple syrup, profiled in Edible Hudson Valley, is a great substitute for a sweet cherry and adds a seasonal flavor all its own.

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8. Morris Kitchen syrups. From the rhubarb to the preserved lemon and grenadine, these bottles will start you down a nearly infinite range of Manhattan permutations.

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There you have it. Lemons and oversize ice cubes not included. And I’m still looking for a local source of cherries in syrup. The best I’ve been able to find — beyond the occasional cocktail bar or restaurant that makes its own — are these Bordeaux-style gems from the Oregon Cherry Growers Association that contain no artificial coloring. And for those who don’t mind the hot pink of classic Maraschinos, these Washington-grown cherries from Williams Sonoma will do the trick.

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All these bottles are available online through the maker, and you can find many of them at your local wine and spirits shop. And, for other gift-giving inspiration for this year and the next, you can read the full Edible staff wishlist over on Edible Manhattan’s website.

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