Base Mix
Popular Alcohol Recipes in WHISKY
Old-Fashioned
Gather the ingredients. Place a sugar cube or sugar in an old-fashioned glass and saturate it with bitters. Muddle or stir to mix. Add the whiskey, fill the glass with ice, and stir well. Express the orange peel over the drink before dropping it into the glass: Twist up the peel and give it a good squeeze (directed toward the glass, not your eyes) and bits of citrus oil will spray into the drink. Add a cherry if you like.
View MoreWhiskey Sour
Gather the ingredients. In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, pour the whiskey, lemon juice, and simple syrup. Shake well. Strain into a chilled sour glass or over fresh ice in an old-fashioned glass. Garnish with a cherry or lemon peel. Enjoy. Tips When using a rich (2:1) simple syrup, you'll likely want to use a little less in the whiskey sour. If you have a standard syrup made with equal parts of sugar and water, pour the full 3/4 ounce. Fresh lemon juice is the key to a great whiskey sour. Bottled lemon juices are either too sweet or too tart and will significantly affect the quality of your drink. Every new style or brand of whiskey you choose will give the cocktail a unique flavor profile. Most drinkers prefer bourbon, though a good rye whiskey makes an excellent sour as well. As you switch from one whiskey to another, you may need to adjust the sweet and sour elements.
View MoreIrish Coffee
Gather the ingredients. Place the brown sugar into a warm Irish coffee glass, mug, or other heatproof glass. Add the coffee and Irish whiskey. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Float the lightly whipped heavy cream on top by slowly pouring it over the back of a spoon. Do not stir. Instead, drink the Irish coffee through the cream. Enjoy. Tips Start with a great cup of coffee. To really experience an authentic Irish coffee, you want a rich, strong coffee. Try using a French press or pour-over brewer and high-end, freshly ground beans. Medium to dark roasted coffee works best. Don't forget to preheat your glass. It keeps the drink warm and helps marry the ingredients. While the coffee is brewing, pour hot water into the glass, then discard it before building the drink. Use freshly whipped cream. Avoid the pressurized cans of cream or whipped topping as those will ruin the Irish coffee. Instead, begin with a little heavy whipping cream and vigorously whip it with a whisk or fork until it is light and fluffy.
View MoreMint Julep
Gather the ingredients. Place the mint leaves and sugar or simple syrup into a Julep cup, Collins glass, or double old-fashioned glass. Muddle well to dissolve the sugar and release the oil and aroma of the mint. Add the bourbon. Fill the glass with crushed ice and stir well until the glass becomes frosty. Garnish with a mint sprig. Serve with a straw and enjoy. Tips Gently muddle your mint. The intention is to release the essential oils, not tear the leaves to bits. Making crushed ice without a machine is another use for your muddler: Place ice cubes in a Lewis bag (a cloth bag made specifically for this purpose) or wrap it in a towel and whack it until your cubes become finely crushed ice. (This is a wonderful and safe stress reliever, too.) Once you build the drink, take the time to stir it gently until the glass gets frosty. This should take at least 30 seconds, but the longer you do it, the better. Pour your favorite bourbon. It's best to choose one of the higher-end brands for the simple fact that bourbon is the Julep's only liquid. Though it is sweetened and flavored, the whiskey is primarily what you will taste. Mint Juleps are good for sipping but also pair nicely with Southern appetizers. Try pairing with pickled shrimp, deviled eggs, and pimiento cheese dip.
View MoreAlgonquin Cocktail
Gather the ingredients. In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, pour the rye whiskey, dry vermouth, and pineapple juice. Shake well. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Serve and enjoy! Tips Stir the Algonquin if you like. Pineapple juice gets foamy when shaken and some people don't enjoy this aspect. However, it does settle after a few minutes. Thankfully, rye whiskey has come back into fashion after a few decades of low production and visibility. There are now a number of great brands to choose from, and any of these would work wonderfully for this cocktail. Unsweetened pineapple juice is generally recommended by traditionalists who appreciate this cocktail with a drier profile. To ensure the cleanest pineapple taste, run the fruit through an electric juicer or mash a few chunks of pineapple with a muddler before adding the other ingredients.
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