19 Best whiskey-based cocktails with ingredients

The whisky world is very vast and still expanding, and whisky based-cocktails are very popular among people these days. For making a good whisky cocktail, it should be well balanced of spirit, and with other ingredients.

There are many styles of whisky, and each adds its own taste to the mixed drink. Today we will have a look at some best whisky-based cocktails and their ingredient.

 

1. Whisky sour

whiskey-based cocktail

Whisky sour is a whisky-based cocktail, one of the oldest classic cocktails. It is made with whisky (bourbon), lemon juice, sugar, and egg white.  But today the egg white is optional, and it’s common to find bars serving Whiskey Sours without egg white.

Ingredient

  • 2 oz bourbon
  • 3/4 oz fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 oz simple syrup
  • 1/2 oz egg white (optional)
Method: Shaking
 

Glassware: Old-fashioned glass

Garnish: Maraschino cherry and half orange slice

2. Mint julep

whiskey-based cocktail

Mint julep is a bourbon whisky-based cocktail, traditionally made with mint leaf, bourbon whisky, simple syrup, and crushed ice.

First, mint juleps were often served in silver or pewter cups and held only by the bottom and top edges of the cup. This allows frost to form on the outside of the cup, but now mint julep is served in a highball, collins, and old-fashioned glass

Ingredient

  • 8 to 10 mint leaves
  • 1/4 ounce simple syrup
  • 2 ounces bourbon

Method: Stirring

Garnish: mint sprig
 

Glassware: Highball, Old-fashioned

Recommended reading: 5 basic methods of making cocktails with examples

3. Whisky highball

whiskey-based cocktail

Highball whisky is a very simple whisky-based cocktail made with whisky, soda water, or ginger ale. Highballs are popular in Japan, often made with Japanese whisky as a haibōru. It is basically referred to as the practice of serving drinks in tall glasses.

Ingredient

  • 2 oz whiskey
  • 4 to 6 oz ginger ale, or club soda, to taste
Method: Building
 
Garnish: Lemon peel
 
Glassware: Highball
 

4. Old-fashioned

whiskey-based cocktail

Old-fashioned is one of the popular bourbon whisky-based cocktails, was invented in Louisville. It is made with bourbon whisky, sugar, bitters, and water.

Ingredient

  • 45 ml Bourbon or Rye whiskey
  • 1 sugar cube
  • A few dashes of Angostura bitters
  • Few dashes of plain water

Method: Stirring

Glassware: Old-fashioned glass
 
Garnish: Orange twist or zest, and cocktail cherry
 

5. Rusty nail

whiskey-based cocktail

Rusty Nail is a scotch whisky-based cocktail, made with scotch whisky, and Drambuie. Rusty nail is often served in Old-fashioned glass on the rock over the ice. If it is served without ice called a “Straight Up Nail”.

Ingredient

  • 1 measure scotch whisky
  • 1 measure Drambuie

Method: Build

Glassware: Old-fashioned

Garnish: Lemon zest

6. Affinity

whiskey-based cocktail

Affinity is also a scotch whisky-based cocktail and similar to Manhattan Perfect. People often take this drink after dinner.

For more about Affinity Go here

Ingredient

  • 1/3 oz scotch
  • 1/3 oz dry vermouth
  • 1/3 oz sweet vermouth
  • 2 Dashes of Angostura bitters

Method: Stir

Glassware: Cocktail glass

7. Aggravation

whiskey-based cocktail

Aggravation is a combination of scotch whisky, Kahlua, and fresh cream, these three together make the drink unique. It is very similar to white Russian.

Ingredient

  • 4/10 oz scotch whisky
  • 3/10 oz Kahlua
  • 3/10 oz fresh cream

Method: Shaking

Glassware: Cocktail glass

Garnish:  Grated nutmeg

8. Black jack

whiskey-based cocktail

Black Jack is a rich cocktail combination of whisky, coffee liqueur (Kahlua), and Cointreau.

Ingredient

  • 1/3 oz scotch whisky
  • 1/3 oz Kahlua
  • 1/3 oz Cointreau
  • 1 dash of lemon juice

Method: Shake

Glassware: Cocktail glass

9. Manhattan

whiskey-based cocktail

Manhattan is a simple and very popular cocktail in the world, it was invented in New York City’s Manhattan Club. It is made with rye whisky, sweet vermouth, and angostura bitter, garnished traditionally with a maraschino cherry. There are two other versions of the Manhattan cocktail,  Manhattan (dry), and Manhattan (perfect).

Ingredient

  • 2/3 oz rye whisky
  • 1/3 oz sweet vermouth
  • 1 dash angostura bitters

Method: Stirring

Glassware: Cocktail glass

Garnish: Maraschino cherry

10. Manhattan (dry)

whiskey-based cocktail
 
manhattan (dry) is the same as manhattan, the only change is sweet vermouth is replaced by dry vermouth. Manhattan dry is made with rye whisky, dry vermouth, and angostura bitters
 
Ingredient
  • 2/3 oz rye whisky
  • 1/3 oz dry vermouth
  • 1 dash angostura bitters

Method: Stirring

Glassware: Cocktail glass

Garnish: Maraschino cherry

11. Manhattan (perfect)

whiskey-based cocktail

Manhattan Perfect is referring not to a cocktail made perfectly, but rather to the use of two different styles of vermouth in a cocktail. It is made with rye whisky, dry vermouth, and sweet vermouth equally.

Ingredient

  • 2/3 oz rye whisky
  • 1/6 oz dry vermouth
  • 1/6 oz sweet vermouth
  • 2 dashes of Angostura bitters

Method: Stirring

Glassware: Cocktail glass

Garnish: Maraschino cherry

12. Evans

whiskey-based cocktail

Evans is a whisky-based cocktail, basically, rye whisky is used. It is a combination of rye whisky, apricot brandy, and orange curacao.

Ingredient

  • 8/10 oz  rye whisky
  • 1/10 oz  apricot brandy
  • 1/10 oz  orange curacao

Method: Stirring

Glassware: Cocktail glass

13. Embassy royal

whiskey-based cocktail

Embassy Royal is a bourbon whisky-based cocktail, made with Drambuie, sweet vermouth, orange squash, or fresh orange juice.

Ingredient

  • 1/2 oz bourbon whisky
  • 1/4 oz  Drambuie
  • 1/4 oz sweet vermouth
  • 2 dashes of orange squash

Method: Shaking

Glassware: Cocktail glass

Garnish: Lemon zest twist

14. Godfather

whiskey-based cocktail

Godfather is a blended scotch whisky-based cocktail, the origin is uncertain, people say that the drink is named after the popular, Oscar-winning film “The Godfather.”  The drink is made with blended scotch whisky and amaretto, it is served with ice in an old-fashioned glass.

Ingredient

  • 2/3 oz  scotch whisky
  • 1/3 oz  amaretto

Method: Building

Glassware: Old-fashioned glass

15. Millionaire

whiskey-based cocktail

The millionaire is a traditional sour that arose during Prohibition. The drink is a combination of rye whisky, grenadine, egg white, pastis, and orange curacao.

Ingredient

  • 2/3 oz rye whisky
  • 1/3 oz grenadine
  • 1 egg white
  • 2 dashes orange curacao
  • 1 dash pastis

Method: Shake

Glassware: Cocktail glass

16. Temptation

whiskey-based cocktail

Temptation is a whisky-based cocktail made with rye whisky, orange curacao, and pastis.

Ingredients

  • 7/10 oz  rye whisky
  • 1/10 oz orange curacao
  • 1/10 oz pastis
  • 1/10 oz dubonnet

Method: Shaking

Glassware: Cocktail glass

17. Old nick

whiskey-based cocktail

Old Nick is a rye whisky-based cocktail made with rye whisky, Drambuie, orange juice, bitters, and lemon juice served in a cocktail glass.

Ingredient

  • 1/2 oz rye whisky
  • 1/4 oz Drambuie
  • 1/8 oz orange juice
  • 1/8 oz lemon juice
  • dash of orange bitters

Method: Shaking

Glassware: Cocktail glass

18. Opening

whiskey-based cocktail

Opening is a basically sweet aromatic whisky-based cocktail, containing of rye whisky, sweet vermouth, and grenadine.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 oz rye whisky
  • 1/4 oz sweet vermouth
  • 1/4 oz grenadine

Method: Stirring

Glassware: Cocktail glass

19. Hot toddy

whiskey-based cocktail
 
Hot toddy is a whisky-based cocktail that is served warm or hot, and it is served in an Irish coffee mug or other mug. The drink is made with scotch whisky, sugar or honey, cinnamon sticks, and hot water.
 
Ingredients
  • 2 oz scotch whisky
  • 1 bar spoon demerara sugar or honey
  • 2 oz hot water
  • A small piece of cinnamon stick

Method: String

Glassware: Irish coffee mug or other mug

Recommended reading: 5 basic methods of making cocktails with examples

19 Best whiskey-based cocktails with Ingredients PDF download

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Saswata Banerjee

Welcome to "Food and Beverage Knowledge," where I, Saswata Banerjee, share my passion and expertise in the world of hospitality. As a professional hotelier with years of experience in the industry, I have a deep understanding of food and beverage service, and I'm excited to bring that knowledge to you.