When it comes to using a base (drink) for whipping up the classic cocktails, nothing comes even remotely close to whiskies. The world of whiskey cocktails is as riveting and enigmatic as the realm of whiskies. Your options of savoring whiskey, bourbon, Scotch, rye or Irish are limited-you either have it neat or add ice cubes (on the rocks, that is) or top up with club soda or limewater.
However, your options multiply astronomically, when you think about cocktailing your Johnny Walker or Vat 69. With near infinite cocktail options starting from Manhattan to ‘7 and 7’ to Rickey to Old Pal to Irish Car Bomb, you’re simply spoilt for choice. It goes without saying that choosing the best cocktails concocted from Scotch or bourbon would indeed be a challenging task.
However an earnest attempt to showcase some of the ‘best of the best’ concoctions has been nevertheless made.
The exemplary Sazerac
Recipe type-cocktail, prep time-5 minutes, serving-1 drink
Ingredients
- Rye whiskey, 2-1/2 ounces
- Peychaud’s bitters, 2 dashes (comparable to Angostura bitters but has a strong anise aroma with a subtle hint of mint)
- 1 cube of sugar
- Absinthe
- Angostura bitters, 1 dash
- Lemon peel
- Rocks glass or old-fashioned glass
Preparation directions
- Drop an ice cube into the rocks glass (always use an old-fashioned or rocks glass for preparing Sazerac as such a tumbler is strictly recommended for this cocktail). Add some water and stir the cube.
- Now, throw many smaller cubes of ice into the glass
- Next, add the rye whisky, Angostura and Peychaud’s bitters and muddle thoroughly
- Keep another chilled rocks glass ready beforehand
- Pour absinthe in this chilled glass (just a few drops will do)
- Filter the contents of the first glass through the julep strainer for transferring to the second glass that has been kept chilled
- Finally, you can either simply drop the lemon peel into the glass or squeeze the juice out
Jack and Coke
Recipe type-cocktail, prep time-2 minutes, serving-1
Ingredients
- Jack Daniels whiskey, 2 ounces
- Coca-Cola, 10 ounces
Preparation instructions
- Fill up an old-fashioned glass with ice cubes
- Slowly transfer the Jack Daniels over the cubes of ice
- Now, top up the glass with the Coca-Cola, and you’re ready to go
Pickleback shot
Recipe type-cocktail, prep time-2 minutes, serving-1 drink
Ingredients
- Jameson’s Irish Whiskey, 1-1/2 ounces
- Pickle juice, 1-1/2 ounces
Preparation instructions
- Pour the Jameson whiskey in a shot glass or rocks glass
- Transfer the pickle juice to another shot glass
- First off, down the shot of Jameson, and thereafter the pickle juice in quick succession
Tips you should follow while concocting a Pickleback shot
- Use Jameson’s and only Jameson’s Irish Whiskey (settling for any other Irish brand implies you’re willing to compromise with the taste and quality)
- You’ve wide leeway when it comes to choosing the pickle juice (you can keep experimenting with the different flavors of spicy or fruity brines easily available across stores)
- You could add a ‘whiskey shooter’ beer if you wish (though it’s just optional)-stick to the lighter varieties
John Collins
Recipe type-cocktail, prep time-3 minutes, serving-1 drink
Ingredients
- Bourbon whiskey, 1-1/2 ounces
- Plain syrup, ½ ounce
- Club soda, 2 ounces
- Lemon juice, 1 ounce
- Slices of orange and Maraschino cherry (for the garnish)
Preparations Instructions
- Pour the bourbon whiskey, plain syrup, and lemon juice into a large highball glass or Collins glass prefilled with cubes of ice
- Stir the contents using a bartending mixing spoon or cocktail stirring spoon thoroughly so that the ingredients blend well
- Alternatively, you can muddle the ingredients in a Boston Shaker (a two-piece cocktail shaker, comprising a glass and a metallic tin) for thorough blending
- Top off the Collins glass with club soda
- Add the Maraschino cherry and orange slice for flavoring
Old Fashioned
Recipe type-cocktail, prep time-5 minutes, serving-1 drink
Ingredients
- Bourbon or rye whiskey, 2 ounces
- Club soda
- 1 cube of sugar
- Angostura bitters, 3 dashes
Preparation guidelines
- Take an Old-Fashioned glass and put the sugar cube in it (alternatively, you can ½ teaspoon of loose or powdered sugar)
- Wash down the sugar with the Angostura bitters
- Add a dash of club soda for further rinsing of the sugar
- Pummel the sugar using a large spoon or a wooden muddler
- Keep turning the glass gently until you see a clear layer of the bitters and sugar
- Drop a sizeable cube of ice
- Decant the bourbon or rye whiskey very slowly over the contents in the glass
- Use a stirring rod for churning the drink and drop a slice of peeled orange skin for garnishing
Millionaire
Recipe type-cocktail, prep time-3 minutes, serving-1 drink
Ingredients
- Rye whiskey, 2 ounce
- Grenadine, 1 dash
- Orange-flavored liqueur, ½ ounce (the Grand Marnier is perfect)
- Egg white, 1
Preparation instructions
- Put crushed ice cubes in a cocktail shaker and then add the whiskey, grenadine, Grand Marnier liqueur, and egg white
- Shake the contents vigorously enough so that they blend well
- Place a strainer over a chilled martini glass or gimlet
- Pour the contents of the cocktail shaker through the strainer into the gimlet
Irish Coffee
Recipe type-cocktail, prep time-7 minutes, serving-1 drink
Ingredients
- Strong coffee, served hot, 4 ounces
- Irish whiskey, 1-1/2 ounce
- Brown sugar, 2 tbsp
- Heavy cream, whisked lightly, 1 ounce
Preparation instructions
- Take a heat-proof or heat-resistant glass (a mug or Irish coffee glass will do fine) and transfer the brown sugar in it
- Pour the coffee in the glass
- Stir the solution until the sugar fully dissolves
- Now pour the Irish whiskey, and whisk
- Use the backside of a large spoon to carefully place the heavy cream so that it floats (avoid stirring). You’re ready to sip.