Once the cocktail shakers had settled, there was one Manhattan left standing.

Jonathan Stanyard impressed the judges with his “Concrete Jungle” concoction, besting seven other entries on his way to win the regional Woodford Reserve Manhattan Experience (ManX) cocktail competition.

Besides bragging rights, Stanyard is now headed to Louisville, KY where he’ll compete in the ManX finals June 6-8. Between now and then, Stanyard will keep perfecting his Manhattan at Il Bistro where you can find him behind the bar a few nights a week.

A veteran of the industry, Stanyard knows his way around a Manhattan – especially when it comes to the nuances of bitters. In 2019, he launched a very specialized education and bitters production, The Bitter Gringo Company.

Stanyard is no stranger to winning competitions. Last year, he was among 10 winners of the USA Cognac Connection Challenge. He has also taken top prizes at the Sombra Sustainable Cocktail Competition and the Temple Distilling Co-Authored Gin Competition, to name a few.

For the ManX competition, bartenders were asked to create two cocktails, each using a Woodford Reserve expression as the base. For his winning entry, Stanyard opted for the Woodford Reserve Rye with a touch of Cynar Amaro.

There is plenty at stake at this year’s finals. Winners from 38 regions across the US will be going head-to-head to claim the lofty title of 2022 Master of the Manhattan. Title aside, the winner will also nab $5,000 in prize money, along with a trip to New York City.

The Cocktail

Stanyard’s unique twist on this classic cocktail should have him in good standing when he strains his creation into the judges’ chilled coupes. The cocktails are judge on several criteria including creativity, thoughtful use of ingredients, and an overall understanding of the Manhattan.

Judging by Stanyard’s description of his winning Manhattan recipe, he clearly has a command of all of those elements.

“The cocktail is built on the perfect template of the low rye, Woodford Reserve Rye Whiskey. It is then brought together with a touch of the classic vermouth and the black Manhattan touch of an amaro. The sweet, spice, and citrus of the vermouth blend with the earthiness and bitter amaro to make this Manhattan bold, sweet, and smooth.”

The Winning Manhattan Recipe

Concrete Jungle 

2 oz Woodford Reserve Rye

3/4 oz Cocchi di Torino infused with Vanilla Bean and Cacao Nibs

1/2 oz Cynar Amaro

2 dashes Scrappy’s Chocolate Bitters

2 droppers Woodford Spiced Cherry Bitters

Garnish: Smoke & Chai Spiced Cherry + Orange Oils