Cocktails

Usually I just drink my whisky straight without any additives (besides a little H20).  But, like anyone who enjoys alcohol of any kind, sometimes you want a cocktail.  Below are my favorite whisky cocktail recipes.  Hope you enjoy them and please send me your comments.  I'm always looking for something to improve!  

Old Fashioned:

Let’s start off with a classic.  I don’t think I need to say too much about the “old fashioned” besides that everybody has a different recipe.  It's kind of like the meatloaf of whisky cocktails.  LOL.  Wouldn't it be funny if everyone like their Mom's Old Fashioned recipe best but didn't really like anyone else's?  😂  Most OF recipes are dominated by three simple flavors: bourbon, citrus, and sugar.  My recipe reduces the amount of sugar and adds multiple bitter flavors, which besides adding more flavors, counters the sweetness.  

In a shaker mix

- 4-5 oz bourbon

- 1 oz Maple Syrup (I like the maple syrup because it keeps the texture of the drink nice and smooth.  Adding sugar can make it gritty)

- fresh orange peel (About twice the area of the opening of a Glencairn and don’t forget to bend and roll the orange peel to release the oils).

- 5 drops Angostura bitters

- 3 drops Orange or citrus bitters

- 3 drops cardamom bitters

And a bunch of ice.  Shake for about 10 seconds and strain into a glass.

Hot Toddy:

Just like the Old Fashioned, everyone has a recipe for a hot toddy.  I always liked the idea of a hot toddy, but similar to an Old Fashioned, I found most recipes either bland or too sweet.  After quite a bit of experimentation, I settled on the following recipe which uses only uses a little honey as a sweetener, a strong black tea, and a bunch of spices.

1) Brew ~4 oz (decaf) Constant Comment tea.  Add a few cloves and some orange peel while it steeps.  After the tea is done, pull out the cloves and orange peel with the tea bag.

2) Add a dash of cinnamon, bit of either cardamom or nutmeg*, one teaspoon of honey and a shot of bourbon.

3) Stir until honey is mixed in and enjoy!

* I find adding a bit of both makes the drink a little tooo complex for my taste, and I like the recipe equally as much with either addition.

Boulevardier:

My wife introduced me to this cocktail after reading about it on the amazing food blog Smitten Kitchen.  It's pretty much the best blog ever.  I know, "Like anyone can ever even know that".  Fine, I don't actually know that, but we've stopped searching.  (Deb, if you’re ever in DC, Jack Rose is on me.)  OK, enough glorifying SK and back to drinking. 

Besides the obvious fact that I like this cocktail because it is bourbon based, it also scratches a particular itch for me.  I’ve always had a fondness for the sweet (but not too sweet) and herbal (but not to herbal) Campari but never figured out what to do with it to make it part of my normal repertoire. 

Mix the following in a rocks glass and enjoy:

2 parts whisky

1 part Campari

1 part Sweet Vermouth

Add ice to taste.

If you’re into smoky whiskies (as I am) I’d recommend using a mixture of bourbon and a smoky whisky instead of 100% bourbon.  When I’ve used something with a softer peat like Bowmore, I do one part bourbon, one part Bowmore.  If I’m using something really strong like an Ardbeg or Laphroaig, I split the whisky into 3 parts bourbon to 1 part Islay.  Your call.

Unnamed:

This is my go to cocktail when I want something sweet.  And yes it really is called the “unnamed”.  As far as I know this cocktail is completely of my own invention, but based on its simplicity I wouldn’t be surprised if someone else came up with it too.  Sooooo.... until someone corrects me on the origin of this cocktail, I get to name it and I don't want to.  Not much too it, the proportions can be adjusted to your desired sweetness and coffee levels.

In a rocks glass mix:

- 2 parts bourbon

- 1 part Tia Maria

- 1 part Frangelico

Simple Whisky Cocktail:

So this one really does live up to it’s name in preparation, but it is surprisingly complex for its simplicity.  I came across this recipe in either Whisky Advocate or Whisky Magazine buried in an editorial or opinion piece and I’m reproducing it as is because I can’t find an improvement!

1.  In a rock glass add a small cube of brown sugar and just enough water to dissolve (most) of it.  Muddling the sugar helps.

2.  Add a shot of bourbon and ice to taste.

3.  Garnish with freshly ground nutmeg.  This addition is primarily for the scent so just one or two scrapes on a zester will do.  Adding to much will overpower the whisky and sugar and give the drink a gritty texture.