Joe, you might also want to try Canadian whisky in a Sazerac (although you might still prefer deeper-flavored rye, as I do). Because the Sazerac company owns Buffalo Trace, and therefore the Handy and Sazerac rye brands, it seems natural that the original Sazerac cocktails were made with rye. After all, the original Manhattans were. But the fact is that the drink originally served in New Orleans at the Sazerac House was mainly a vehicle for the sale of Peychaud's Bitters, which they also own, and which the distinctive feature of the cocktail today, as well (no comment on whether today's Peychaud's is any more like the original from the 1850s than today's James E. Pepper is like the original of THAT name). Anyway, until Thomas Handy changed it to rye whiskey in the 1870s, the base liquor in a Sazerac cocktail was Cognac. Even Handy often mixed Cognac with rye, and even though one would never mistake one for the other sipping neat, today's decent Canadian "rye" whiskies make a damn good substitute in a cocktail that looks for a more subtle contribution from that ingredient.
That said, I prefer the strongest-flavored Pennsylvania- or Maryland-style rye whiskey available for Sazeracs. Then again, I don't dump out the absinthe after swirling the glass, either, so it probably NEEDS it.
And, while a TRUE Manhattan should never use whiskey that can't walk out of its own bottle and climb into the mixing glass all by itself, I, too, prefer them made with milder bourbon (a Maker's Manhattan is especially good). I've certainly enjoyed Manhattans prepared by our friend Gary, and I know those were made with Canadian whiskey. Although, with Vatman Gary you have to realize you'll be getting Canadian far improved from whatever one bottle you might buy.
Still, Gary left me with a bottle of fine old Wiser last time we were together, and there's just enough of it left to mix up a few Christmas Manhattans tomorrow. I'll raise one to Gary, and another to you. And couple more to all the rest of youse American whiskey freaks!
MERRY CHRISTMAS, y'ole PA coot, from another one!