The best whisky cocktails are smooth and sophisticated – a swanky grown-up drink with a smoky sweetness of vanilla and caramel and a mysterious warm burn. You could simply drink your whisky neat or on the rocks – and you should if you want to savour the flavours of a particularly high quality bottle. However, try a whisky cocktail now and then and see how the right tastes blended in can really delight your palate.
Now, you’ve probably already tried a few of the classic best whisky cocktails that we all know and love – from the Whisky Sour to the Old Fashioned. So, here are a few of the best whisky cocktails with a twist that you really ought to try.
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Boston Sour
If you love to sip a Whisky Sour, you’ll really enjoy this delicious variation. This is the insider’s name for a Whisky Sour with the addition of egg whites. Start by filling a cocktail shaker with plenty of ice and pour in 50ml of blended whisky. Then, add one egg white along with 20ml of lemon juice and 20ml of sugar syrup and shake, shake, shake it. The trick to the perfect sour is getting the right balance between the lemon and the sugar in order to make your lips pucker as you drink it – but not too much. Strain the drink into a whisky sour glass, add a slice of lemon, top with a cherry and serve.
Watermelon Julep
The Mint Julep is another classic whisky cocktail, associated with the slow, hot days in the Southern USA. Some say that it originated as a medicinal drink that people in Virginia would drink to start their day back in the 19th century.
If you want to give your mint julep a new spin, try it with juicy, summery watermelon instead. Muddle the simple syrup and watermelon in a mixing glass, then add mint and press on it lightly to release the oils. Add the bourbon and mix it together with cracked ice.
Maple Manhattan
If the watermelon julep is the perfect summer drink, this variation on the classic Manhattan is a drink ideally suited to autumn. Start with 60ml of bourbon and 20ml of sweet red vermouth. Mix them together with a teaspoon of maple syrup in a large mixing glass. It helps to add the bourbon in stages, as it will be easier to get the maple syrup blended completely into the cocktail. Add ice and bitters to the glass and then stir again. Strain the cocktail into your chosen glass and garnish with an orange peel for one of the best whisky cocktails you have ever tasted!
Cherry Smash
You’ll love the way the tart flavour of the cherries complements the whisky in this delicious and fruity cocktail. Place cherries, orange, mint leaves and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker and muddle them together with the end of a rolling pin. Then, add 1 tsp of sugar syrup, 50ml of cherry bourbon whisky and a handful of ice. Shake it hard. Strain the cocktail into a tumbler filled with crushed ice and garnish it with a fresh cherry and a mint sprig.
Have these cocktail recipes got you thirsty? You can always skip the hassle of mixing yourself and head on one of Truly’s extraordinary cocktail evenings.
Sam’s flair for crafting exquisite cocktails was first showcased on the competitive bartending circuit, where he clinched numerous accolades.
Sam possesses a deep knowledge of whiskeys, rums, gins and various niche spirits. He now travels around Asia advising bars and hotels on cocktail menu design and inventing new drinks tasting experiences.