House of Bourbon's take on the Imbibers One Hundred or Make Mine a Manhattan

Darcy O'Neil at Art of the Drink started this last month. It's showed up on many other blogs since then. Art of the Drink is definitely one of my Top Ten Cocktail Blogs. Darcy posts recipes for cocktails and ingredients. He's putting up quality content and he's been doing it for several years.

The drinks I've had are in Bold. I've hyperlinked to descriptions of the beverages I haven't had. So I'm 86/100. Some of the beverages could probably be had locally without too much effort. Fermented Mongolian Mare's Milk (Airag) is probably beyond my reach.

Some of the drinks on the list defy belief. Budweiser? White Zin? Two Buck Chuck? I'd rather see more obscure beverages or ingredients like a Bourbon barrel aged beer, Rose Champagne, Falernum, Pimento Dram, Dr. Brown's Cel-Ray Soda and the like.

List of Drinks You Must Try Before You Expire

1. Manhattan Cocktail
2. Kopi Luwak (Weasle Coffee) actually it's Civet Coffee
   
3. French / Swiss Absinthe
4. Rootbeer
5. Gin Martini
6. Sauternes
7. Whole Milk
8. Tequila (100% Agave)
9. XO Cognac
10. Espresso
11. Spring Water (directly from the spring)
12. Gin & Tonic
13. Mead
14. Westvleteren 12 (Yellow Cap) Trappist Ale
15. Chateau d’Yquem
16. Budweiser
17. Maraschino Liqueur
18. Mojito
    
19. Orgeat
20. Grand Marnier
    
21. Mai Tai
22. Ice Wine (Canadian)
23. Red Bull
24. Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice
25. Bubble Tea
    
26. Tokaji
27. Chicory
28. Islay Scotch
29. Pusser’s Navy Rum
30. Fernet Branca
31. Fresh Pressed Apple Cider
32. Bourbon
33. Australian Shiraz
34. Buckley’s Cough Syrup
35. Orange Bitters
36. Margarita (classic recipe)
37. Molasses & Milk
38. Chimay Blue
39. Wine of Pines (Tepache)
40. Green Tea
41. Daiginjo Sake
42. Chai Tea
43. Vodka (chilled, straight)
44. Coca-Cola
45. Zombie (Beachcomber recipe)
46. Barley Wine
47. Brewed Chocolate (Xocolatl)
48. Pisco Sour
49. Lemonade
50. Speyside Single Malt
51. Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee
52. Champagne (Vintage)
53. Rosé (French)
54. Bellini
55. Caipirinha
56. White Zinfandel (Blush)
57. Coconut Water
58. Cerveza
59. Cafe au Lait
60. Ice Tea
61. Pedro Ximenez Sherry
62. Vintage Port
63. Hot Chocolate
64. German Riesling
65. Pina Colada
66. El Dorado 15 Year Rum
67. Chartreuse
68. Greek Wine
69. Negroni
70. Jägermeister
71. Chicha
72. Guiness
73. Rhum Agricole
74. Palm Wine
75. Soju
76. Ceylon Tea (High Grown)
77. Belgian Lambic
78. Mongolian Airag also know as Kumis
79. Doogh, Lassi or Ayran
80. Sugarcane Juice
81. Ramos Gin Fizz
    
82. Singapore Sling
83. Mint Julep
84. Old Fashioned
85. Perique
    
86. Jenever (Holland Gin)
87. Chocolate Milkshake
88. Traditional Italian Barolo
89. Pulque
90. Natural Sparkling Water
91. Cuban Rum - I've had Matusalem "Cuba Style" Rum - Damn Embargo
92. Asti Spumante
93. Irish Whiskey
94. Château Margaux
95. Two Buck Chuck
96. Screech
97. Akvavit
98. Rye Whisky
99. German Weissbier
100. Daiquiri (classic)

The Cocktail of choice at my house is often a Manhattan, so I thought it was appropriate that it was number one on the Imbiber's 100 list. I even gave some thought to calling this blog "The Manhattan Project" but thought it would be too limiting.

One of the things that is so appealing about Manhattans are the possibilities: What kind of Rye or Bourbon? Which vermouth? Martini & Rossi, Noilly Prat or perhaps the one of the higher end choices like Punt E Mas or Vya? If that's not enough variables the serious Cocktailian is faced with and ever increasing selection of bitters, both commercial or housemade.

Here's the version of the Manhattan that I'm currently drinking.

2 oz Wild Turkey Rye 101
3/4 oz Noilly Prat Sweet Vermouth
2 Dashes of Angostura Bitters or Angostura Orange Bitters
1 Housemade Marashino Cherry and a few drops of the juice

Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.

Edited to add on January 2, 2009: Several folks who responded to Darcy O'Neil's original Post had suggestions of items that are missing.

101. Clamato Juice
102. Original Nyquil
103. Malzbier
104. Sanbitter
105. Ting
106. J. Wray & Nephew Overproof Rum
107. Poteen or Moonshine or White Dog
108. Batavia Arrack
109. Elderflower Liqueur