There is something about the taste of whiskey that warms you from the inside. Depending on the one you buy it can be sweet, smooth, or spiced. There are so many different varieties of whiskey that most people keep multiple bottles stocked for different occasions.
While nothing will beat a glass of straight whiskey over some ice, there are many whiskey cocktails you can make that are delicious and relatively simple to make.
Whiskey cocktails are also a great way to get new people into the world of whiskey. Some people are turned away by the idea of drinking straight liquor and won’t even give any whiskeys a try.
In this article, we cover 5 cocktails that have been made with whiskey that you can try at home.
Irish Coffee
The key to good quality Irish coffee is to use Irish whiskey. The Irish were one of the first to brew whiskey, with the oldest licensed whiskey distillery still being in Ireland. So, it makes sense that the first cocktail on our list is one of their most popular.
Ingredients
- 4 oz of strong coffee
- 2 teaspoons of brown sugar
- ½ oz of Irish whiskey
- Whipped cream
Method
- Put your sugar in a heat-proof glass
- Add in your coffee and whiskey
- Stir until the sugar is dissolved
- Top with a thick layer of cream
For Irish coffee, you have to drink the coffee through the layer of whipped cream.
Whiskey Highball
The classic highball has been around since the late 1800s and is a popular simple cocktail. Highballs are served in tall glasses, specifically a highball glass.
There are many different variations of the highball cocktail including a Screwdriver, Tom Collins, and the Seven and Seven.
The whiskey highball is one of these variations and is especially popular in Japan where it is made with Japanese whiskey.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ oz of whiskey
- Soda, sparkling water, or ginger ale
- Lemon or lime wedge
Method
- Fill your glass with ice
- Add in your whiskey and stir to cool the whiskey down
- Fill to the top of the glass with soda, sparkling water, or ginger ale
- Garnish with a lemon or lime wedge
Whiskey Sour
This is a popular drink from the late 1870s and there are many different versions of it. For example, a Boston sour has egg white in it, and a New York sour has red wine floating on top.
Below is how you make a classic whiskey sour that can be expanded upon.
Ingredients
- 2 oz of bourbon
- ¾ oz of lemon juice
- ½ oz of simple syrup
- Orange slice and a maraschino cherry
Method
- Put bourbon, lemon juice, and simple syrup into a shaker
- Shake with no ice for about 30 seconds
- Add ice and shake again until chilled
- Strain into a glass
Old Fashioned
The old fashioned is possibly the most popular whiskey cocktail and is also one of the oldest cocktails written in print in the early 1800s.
It is served in a rocks glass, more commonly known as an old fashioned glass.
Ingredients
- 1 sugar cube
- A couple of dashes of bitter
- 2 oz of bourbon
- Slice of orange zest
Method
- Add the sugar cube, bitters, and a splash of water to the bottom of the glass
- Muddle it
- Add in some ice cubes
- Pour your bourbon on the top
- Garnish with orange zest
Mint Julep
The mint julep is also known as the official drink of the Kentucky Derby. It is commonly sold there with over 100,000 mint juleps being served over the weekend of the Kentucky Derby.
Ingredients
- 8-10 fresh mint leaves depending on the size
- ¼ oz of simple syrup
- 2 oz of bourbon
Method
- Lightly muddle the mint leaves and simple syrup at the bottom of the glass
- Add your bourbon and then fill the rest of the glass with crushed ice
- Stir until the outside of the glass is frosted
- Add extra crushed ice until a dome forms on top and then garnish with a mint leaf.
Final Thoughts
As you can see by the cocktails, the goal isn’t to disguise the taste of the whiskey but to enhance it or provide complementary flavors.
These cocktails are meant to provide another way to enjoy whiskey and shouldn’t be seen as a ‘lesser’ way of enjoying the drink.
Remember to drink responsibly, especially when consuming cocktails as it is easy to consume a lot of alcohol without you realizing it.
Interesting Related Article: “The Best Low-Calorie Cocktails to Order”