Why in the world would I believe that I would get a world-class Manhattan in a bar situated firmly in the middle of one of the busiest casinos on the Vegas strip? Still, the Whiskey Down bar bills itself as a brown liquor watering hole, so if any casino bar is going to do a decent job with a Manhattan it would have to be this one. There was no room at the bar, so my friends and I found a couch along the outside wall of the bar. Eventually (meaning about 15 minutes later) our waitress shows up to take our orders, and I somewhat reluctantly ask her to have the bartender make me his best Manhattan. I'm used to asking the bartender directly and watching him make it, but am a bit concerned that this waitress won't represent my request appropriately. So, about another 15 minutes later our drinks arrive, including my Manhattan. I didn't get to witness it being made, so I can't comment on the ingredients (our waitress had no idea either) or the technique applied, but in tasting the result, I wish I did. I might have refused it. It was utterly disgusting! It tasted like that cough syrup we used to have to take as children, more to convince us never to be sick again rather than to actually do anything about that cough. I have no idea what was in that drink, but none of it was right. If I had to guess, they used sherry instead of vermouth and Southern Comfort as the base, with perhaps an ounce of bitters made from straining an uneaten Caesar salad complete with anchovy dressing. Ugh. Never again.