Essential American Whiskey Cocktails

It may be hard to hear, much less comprehend, but not everyone is a fan of sipping straight whiskey. Personal preference aside, there will come a time when even a diehard whiskey purist must admit a whiskey cocktail is what’s called for. It could be you end up hosting a gathering where not everyone drinks straight spirits. It could be one of those lovely 104 degrees days in Texas. Or you might have ended up with a bottle of something you don’t particularly care for on its own. This is when knowing a couple of essential whiskey cocktails is key.

These are five of the most requested American whiskey cocktails you should be able to whip up with ease.

Old Fashioned

Ingredients

• 2 oz bourbon
• 3-4 dashes bitters (Angostura or Orange)
• 1 sugar cube
• A few drops of water
• Orange peel

Directions

1. In an Old Fashioned glass (AKA: lowball glass, rocks glass), add cocktail bitters, sugar cube, and water.
3. Add bourbon and ice and stir.
4. Express an orange peel over the top and drop it in the glass.

Whiskey Sour

Ingredients

• 2 oz bourbon
• 1 oz lemon juice
• .75 oz simple syrup
• 1 egg white
• Cherry for garnish

Directions

1. In a shaker tin, add all ingredients except for ice.
2. Dry shake for 10-15 seconds.
3. Add ice and shake again.
4. Double strain into a chilled glass.
5. Garnish with a cocktail cherry.

Sazerac

Ingredients

• 5 oz rye whiskey
• .25 oz absinthe
• 3 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters
• 1 sugar cube
• A few drops of water
• Lemon peel

Directions

1. Rinse a pre-chilled Old Fashioned glass with absinthe, then add crushed ice and set it aside.
2. Stir bitters, sugar, and water together.
3. Add rye whiskey and ice and stir.
4. Discard the ice and absinthe from the Old Fashioned glass and strain the whiskey into the glass.
5. Garnish with a lemon peel.

Rob Roy

Ingredients

• 2 oz Scotch whisky
• .75 oz sweet vermouth
• 3-4 dashes Angostura bitters
• Cherry for garnish

Directions

1. Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with ice.
2. Stir.
3. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
4. Garnish with a cocktail cherry.

Manhattan

Ingredients

• 2 oz rye whiskey
• .5 oz sweet vermouth
• 1-2 dashes Angostura bitters
• Cherry for garnish

Directions

1. Stir liquid ingredients together with ice.
2. Strain into a chilled coupe glass.
3. Garnish with a cherry.

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