Whiskey Cocktails

Whiskey neat is perfect. Warm, liquid sunshine with no frills, no distractions, no garnish, but sometimes, when the weather is steamy or when you're feeling fancy or maybe you're looking to impress someone, it's nice to have a cold Manhattan or an Old Fashioned, and show the world that you are a civilized, distinguished, adult connoisseur of whiskey. So I thought that I'd give you some suggestions for Whiskey Cocktails that will rock your world and give your life more meaning. ...ok, maybe that was a bit too far, but nevertheless, you should probably learn to make some grownup drinks. I encourage you to mix it up and try any of these with your favorite whiskeys. Why not try a Manhattan with Irish whiskey? It's called an Emerald and it's delicious! 

A Manhattan  -This whiskey cocktail combines sweet vermouth and bitters to bring out the character of your whiskey. If made with Scotch, it's called a Rob Roy. With Irish Whiskey, it's called an Emerald.  In a shaker or large glass, combine:

• Ice cubes
• 2 ounces quality whiskey of your choice
• ¾ ounce sweet vermouth
• 2 dashes Angostura aromatic bitters

Stir or shake until chilled and combined. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a maraschino cherry or orange twist. 

Whiskey Sour  (From Thrillist.com) -Sours have nothing to do with "sour mix," the neon liquid you get in cocktails at karaoke bars, (which are special in ways other than their ingredients). Sours are a category of drink that hit all the right flavors: boozy, sweet, and tart. They follow a 2:1:1 ratio of two parts spirit, one part sour, one part sweet. Any whiskey will do for this simple shaken classic. A mellow, not-too-smoky blended Scotch does the trick nicely, too.

• 2 ounces whiskey
• 1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 ounce simple syrup (or honey, or agave)

Shake all ingredients with ice until chilled, strain, and serve straight up.  Blarney Stone  (from Serious Eats )  -So good, you'll bend over backward to kiss a rock.  Add whiskey and lime juice to a cocktail shaker and fill with ice. Shake until well chilled, about 15 seconds. Strain into an ice-filled highball glass. Top with ginger beer and garnish with lime twist.  

• 1 ounce Irish whiskey
• 1 ounce Chartreuse
• 1 ounce Italian Vermouth

Combine ingredients in a shaker or glass and pour over ice.  Boulevardier 

• 2 ounces bourbon
• 1 ounce Campari
• 1 ounce sweet vermouth

In a shaker or large glass filled with ice, combine ingredients and stir until chilled. strain into a chilled glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.  Derby

• 1 ounce whiskey
• 3/4 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1/2 ounce sweet vermouth
• 1/2 ounce Grand Marnier

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add bourbon, lime, sweet vermouth, and Grand Marnier and shake well. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with lime wedge or mint leaf.   So now that you're like some kind of whiskey wizard, you're going to need some quality whisk(e)y. We've got you covered. Have you seen The Whiskey Snug at The Celtic Ranch? It's a room FULL of whisk(e)y. We'll help you find the perfect whiskey for your whiskey cocktail and you can have a drink or two to help you decide. Come see us!