WHISKEY CLASSICS
Whiskey classics remind me of Mark Twain. And who doesn't want to remember Mark Twain when they drink?
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Here are a few of my favorite whiskey classics.
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Too much of anything is bad,
but too much good whiskey
is barely enough.
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- Mark Twain
Boston Whiskey Sour
Bourbon, lemon, simple syrup,
bitters, egg white
2 oz Bourbon
1 oz fresh lemon juice
3/4 oz simple syrup
1 oz egg white (generally one egg)
Angostura bitters (garnish)
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Add all ingredients, except the bitters, into a cocktail shaker.
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Without ice, dry shake the ingredients vigorously for 30 seconds.
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Add ice and shake again for about 8-10 seconds.
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Strain into a glass and garnish with drops of Angostura bitters.
Old-Fashioned
Bourbon, Sugar, Bitters,
Orange Peel, Lemon Peel
2 oz Bourbon (or Rye Whiskey)
1 tsp Demerara Syrup (or simple syrup)
2 dashes Angostura bitters
1 dash Peychaud's Aromatic bitters
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Add all ingredients in a mixing glass (or just build it in your rocks glass).
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Add ice and stir, but only until chilled. You want to under-dilute it. Strain into a double rocks glass with a large cube of ice.
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Express the oils from a lemon peel and an orange peel over the cocktail and drop them in.
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Manhattan
Rye Whiskey, Sweet Vermouth, Angostura bitters, Maraschino cherry
2 1/2 oz Rye Whiskey
3/4 oz Sweet Vermouth
2 dash Angostura bitters
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Add all ingredients into a mixing glass with ice. Stir until chilled and fully diluted. Strain into a martini glass.
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Garnish with a singular Maraschino Cherry (preferably a Luxardo cherry).
Boulevardier
(Bowl-Var-Dee-Ay)
Rye Whiskey, Sweet Vermouth, Campari, Orange Peel
1 1/2 oz Rye Whiskey (or Bourbon)
3/4 oz Sweet Vermouth
3/4 oz Campari
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In a mixing glass, combine all ingredients with ice. Stir until chilled and fully diluted and then strain into a glass.
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Express the oils from an orange peel and place in the cocktail.
New York
Whiskey Sour
Bourbon, lemon, simple syrup, Red Wine
2 oz Bourbon
1 oz fresh lemon juice
3/4 oz simple syrup
1/2 oz Red Wine
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Add all ingredients, except the wine, into a cocktail shaker. Add Ice and shake for 8-10 seconds. Strain into a glass, either up or on the rocks.
Using the back of a barspoon, gently pour in the 1/2 oz of red wine so that it floats on the top.
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(this photo I used egg white, but it's not traditionally made with egg whites)
Mint Julep
Bourbon, simple syrup, mint
2 oz Bourbon
1/4 oz simple syrup
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Place the ingredients in a Julep tin and fill halfway full of crushed ice. Stir until the tin begins to frost. Add more crushed ice until the tin is 2/3 full. Continue stirring until the tin is completely covered in frost.
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Add more crushed ice to form a dome above the rim of the Julep tin. Garnish with a bushel of mint and use a straw.
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The goal should be when you take a sip from the straw, your nose should land in the mint.
Sazerac
Absinthe, Rye Whiskey, Cognac, Demerara, bitters, lemon peel
Absinthe rinse
1 1/2 oz Rye Whiskey
1/2 oz Cognac
1 teaspoon demerara syrup
4 dashes Peychaud's Aromatic bitters
1 dash Angostura bitters
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Rinse your glass with Absinthe and dump. In a mixing glass add remaining ingredients. Stir to chill and fully dilute.
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Strain into your glass and express the oils from a lemon peel. Toss the lemon peel, it does not go in the drink after you express the oils.
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Rob Roy
Scotch, Sweet Vermouth, bitters, cherries
2 oz Scotch
3/4 oz Sweet Vermouth
2 dashes Angostura bitters
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Place all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Stir until chilled and fully diluted. Strain into a glass.
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Garnish with two brandied Maraschino Cherries on a pick (Luxardo Maraschino Cherries are the standard).
Brown Derby
Bourbon, grapefruit, lemon, honey syrup
2 oz Bourbon
1 oz fresh grapefruit juice
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 oz honey syrup
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Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker and shake with ice. Strain into a glass and garnish with a grapefruit peel.
Fancy-Free
Rye Whiskey, Maraschino Liqueur, bitters, orange peel
2 oz Rye Whiskey
1/2 oz Maraschino Liqueur
1 dash Angostura bitters
1 dash Orange bitters
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Add all ingredients to a mixing glass. Stir with ice until chilled and under diluted.
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Strain into a double rocks glass with one large ice cube. Garnish with an orange peel.
Vieux Carré
(Voo Car-Ray)
Rye Whiskey, Cognac, Sweet Vermouth, Bénédictine, bitters
1 oz Rye Whiskey
1 oz Cognac
1 oz Sweet Vermouth
1 tsp Bénédictine
1 dash Angostura bitters
1 dash Peychaud's Aromatic bitters
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Add all ingredients into a mixing glass. Stir with ice until chilled and under diluted. Strain into a double rocks glass with a large cube of ice.
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Garnish with a lemon peel and express its oils over the cocktail.