Mixing cocktails is a lot of fun to do, especially if you want to make custom drinks for your party. However, you shouldn’t just follow cocktail recipes without looking at the label.
Before you look up how to make a whiskey cocktail, you need to know what bottle will work best with your brew.
Most cocktails depend on the recipe to make a unique flavor. But what most people don’t know is that your choice of brand and whiskey type goes a long way to capturing a cocktail’s signature taste.
What Are the Different Kinds of Whiskey?
Whiskey is a diverse spirit, boasting a range of flavors and textures from various traditions. Whiskey production involves meticulously aging distilled grains in wooden casks, a process that gives its distinctive character, depending on where it’s made.
Whether sipped neat, on the rocks, or as part of a cocktail, whiskey’s colorful history is as fascinating as its flavors.
Rye Whiskeys
Besides being an ingredient in rye bread, rye can also be made into amazing whiskeys. Rye whiskeys are known for their spicy, fruity, and sometimes grassy notes, making them a favorite among whiskey enthusiasts seeking deep, blended whiskey flavors.
Bourbon Whiskeys
A Bourbon whiskey is a distinctively American whiskey characterized by its rich, sweet profile. A bourbon cocktail is characterized by its deep amber color, owing to its main ingredient’s potent sweetness.
Bourbon is aged in new, charred oak barrels, which give it its deep amber color and flavors of vanilla, caramel, and oak. Making a bourbon cocktail is not just about creating a great taste, but also balancing its texture to make a drink with a sophisticated look.
Irish Whiskeys
Irish whiskey is renowned for its smoothness and light flavor profile, making it a stand-out attraction among other whiskey types. Aged in wooden casks for at least three years, Irish whiskey has fruit and vanilla notes with a hint of spice.
It’s typically triple distilled from a mash of malted and unmalted barley in pot stills, contributing to its characteristic smoothness and subtlety. This whiskey variety enjoys popularity worldwide and is a fan-favorite for its versatility in cocktails and for sipping neat.
Scotch Whiskey
More commonly known by its nickname, Scotch, these types of whiskeys have a diverse range of flavors influenced by the region of their production. Scotch whiskies are renowned for their earthy, peaty notes, particularly in whiskies from Islay, and smooth, fruity characteristics in Speyside varieties.
The production process and regional variations yield a wide spectrum of flavors, from smoky and complex to light and delicate, making Scotch a highly popular spirit worldwide.
Best Whiskey for Cocktails
Whiskey cocktails are mixed drinks that prominently feature whiskey as their main ingredient. These cocktails have a rich history and are celebrated for their diverse range of flavors, from the refreshing kick of a Whiskey Smash to the spiciness of a Penicillin.
Old Fashioned
Among the more popular classic cocktails, the Old Fashioned is a cocktail that has been savored by enthusiasts for over a century. It’s traditionally made with a mix of sugar, bitters, whiskey, and a twist of citrus rind.
The best blended whiskey to build an Old Fashioned is a Rye whiskey, more specifically a Bulleit Rye. It starts with a sweet, fruity taste followed by a spicy finish with notes of pepper and cinnamon.
Recipe
Serving size: 1 drink
Prep time: Around 5 minutes
Equipment needed:
Old fashioned glasses
Muddler
Barspoon
Teaspoon
Ingredients:
2 oz Bulleit Rye whiskey
1 sugar cube
2 dashes Angostura bitters
Few dashes plain water
1 orange slice or cocktail cherry
Directions:
- Muddle the sugar cube with the bitters and a dash of water in a whiskey glass.
- Fill the glass with ice.
- Add the whiskey.
- Stir gently to combine.
- Add your choice of garnish.
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TV Trivia: The Old Fashioned has seen a resurgence in popularity thanks to the television series “Mad Men.” |
Manhattan
The Manhattan is a mix of American whiskey, usually rye, sweet red vermouth, and Angostura bitters. It’s typically garnished with a maraschino cherry and served in a cocktail glass.
Rye whiskey is the best kind of whiskey to make a Manhattan, especially if you have a bottle of Knob Creek Rye. It has notes of oak, caramel, and spice, with a long, warm finish, perfect for crafting cocktails, especially those that call for a strong whiskey flavor.
Recipe
Serving size: 1 drink
Prep time: Around 5 minutes
Equipment needed:
Cocktail glass
Mixing glass
Strainer
Barspoon
Ingredients:
2 oz Knob Creek Rye whiskey
1 oz sweet red vermouth
2 dashes Angostura bitters
1 Cocktail cherry
Directions:
- Add ingredients and ice into mixing glass.
- Stir well to combine.
- Strain contents into a chilled cocktail glass.
- Add cocktail cherry as a garnish.
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A Winner In Flavor: Knob Creek Cask Strength Rye won the “Best Rye Whiskey” at the 2018 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. |
Whiskey Sour
The Whiskey Sour is a mix of sweet and sour flavors, combining whiskey, usually bourbon, with lemon juice and sugar. It’s known for its balance of flavors, from the acidity of the lemon juice to the sweetness of the sugar.
Adding Irish whiskey adds depth and complexity to this drink. By using a bottle of Jameson Irish whiskey, you’ll give your cocktail a smooth yet potent texture.
Recipe
Serving size: 1 drink
Prep time: Around 3 minutes
Equipment needed:
Cocktail shaker
Strainer
Whiskey Sour glass
Teaspoon
Ingredients:
1 1/2 oz Jameson Irish Whiskey
1 oz lemon juice
1 tsp superfine sugar (or 1/2 oz gomme syrup)
Directions:
- Shake the bourbon, lemon juice, and sugar well with cracked ice.
- Strain into a whiskey sour glass.
- For a traditional sour, garnish with a half-slice of orange and a cherry.
Mint Julep
The Mint Julep is a refreshing whiskey cocktail that has become synonymous with the Southern United States, particularly Kentucky. It is traditionally made with four ingredients: fresh mint, bourbon, sugar, and water.
Adding Bourbon whiskey, like Woodford Reserve, is a great base for a Mint Julep. This whiskey uses a high percentage of rye in its mash bill, giving it a unique and spicy character.
Recipe
Serving size: 1 drink
Prep time: Around 5-10 minutes
Equipment needed:
Mint Julep cup
Muddler
Metal straw
Barspoon
Ingredients:
2 1/2 oz Woodford Reserve whiskey
6-8 Fresh mint leaves
1/2 oz Simple syrup
Crushed ice
Directions:
- Muddle the mint leaves and simple syrup in a julep cup.
- Add the whiskey.
- Fill the Mint Julep cup with crushed ice.
- Stir until the outside of the cup is frosted.
- Top with more crushed ice and garnish with a sprig of mint.
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A Taste of History: Woodford Reserve is made at the Woodford Reserve Distillery, a National Historic Landmark that’s one of the oldest distilleries in Kentucky. |
Blood and Sand
The Blood and Sand combines sweet and smoky flavors of whiskey, cherry, sweet vermouth, and orange. It’s a great drink for evening events, especially for momentous occasions like weddings and corporate celebrations.
The Macallan 12 Year Old can give your Blood and Sand a stronger taste and look. It has a complex flavor profile, with dominant notes of dried fruits and sherry, balanced with wood smoke and spice.
Recipe
Serving size: 1 drink
Prep time: Approximately 5 minutes
Equipment needed:
Cocktail shaker
Strainer
Coupe or cocktail glass
Ingredients:
3/4 oz Macallan 12 Year Old
3/4 oz sweet vermouth
3/4 oz Heering cherry liqueur
3/4 oz freshly squeezed orange juice
1 orange peel or maraschino cherry for garnish
Directions:
- Fill your cocktail shaker with ice.
- Pour whiskey, sweet vermouth, cherry liqueur, and orange juice into the shaker.
- Shake the mixture vigorously until it is well-chilled.
- Strain the cocktail into a chilled cocktail or coupe glass.
- Add an orange peel or a maraschino cherry as a garnish.
Blend Your Whiskey Cocktails Without the Hassle
Finding the best whiskey for cocktails isn’t about choosing one winner. Some whiskeys will shine better than others, depending on the kind of cocktail you want to make.
Choosing the right whiskey is half your work done for you, but things can still go wrong if you don’t follow the right recipe. This is where Bartesian’s cocktail maker comes in.
It’s the best tool to help you craft your favorite drinks with ease. With our extensive catalog of whiskey cocktail capsules, you can try out different flavor profiles that fit all occasions.
Just pour down your whiskey of choice into the mixer, and you’ll find that making whiskey cocktails is as easy as touching a button.