5 Classic Whisky Cocktails Every Adult Should Know

You now know how to drink whisky and have mastered the art of drinking it neat. Now it’s time for classic whisky cocktails.

But now we have the controversy of cocktails. Cocktails are so hot right now and whisky purists will say that quality whisky is best enjoyed neat or with the tiniest bit of water.

Why do we need to argue? It’s great both ways.

Today we’re continuing the conversation with Canadian Club 100% rye – a Canadian product (yay!) that is distilled and aged at a single distillery in Alberta.

But I’ve also had fantastic whiskey exploring restaurants in Dublin and there’s no denying it’s one of the best things to pair with Scottish foods.
 
 

How to Make Classic Whisky Cocktails

I made all of these whisky cocktails at home, without any special equipment or much effort. If I can make them, so can you!

But first…How to Make a Simple Syrup

Many classic whisky cocktails include simple syrup. People shy away from this because they think it’s just another thing they have to buy. 
 

 
Making a syrup just for cocktails sounds complicated but it’s really simple…hence the term simple syrup.

Over medium-low heat put equal parts of water and white sugar into a saucepan and stir. Once the sugar has dissolved into the water remove from the heat and let cool.

Voila!
 
 

The Manhattan Cocktail

The Manhattan is one of five cocktails named for the five boroughs in New York, but no one seems to know much about the Bronx, Brooklyn, Staten Island or Queens cocktail.

Maybe the popularity was that it gives a reason to eat a maraschino cherry as there’s not many reasons in life unless you’re eating Christmas cherry balls or for some strange reason drinking a Shirley Temple.

The Manhattan is flexible. You can have it stirred and strained into a cocktail glass with a Maraschino cherry or if you want to be less dainty, it works well on ice in a low ball glass. Serve straight or on the rocks.

The following is a dry rye manhattan.

2 oz Canadian Club Chairman’s Select™ 100% Rye
1 oz dry vermouth
1 dash Angostura bitters
1 dash simple syrup
lemon peel
Zest lemon peel over rim of glass.
 
 

Old Fashioned Cocktail

Every reference to the invention of this cocktail is that legend says it was created at the Pendennis Club in Louisville, Kentucky.

It is traditionally served in a short tumbler glass, which is often called an Old Fashioned glass. These Glaskey whiskey glasses are much nicer than what I used in the photo above.

2 dashes Angostura butters
1 tsp simple syrup
2.5 oz Canadian Club Chairman’s Select 100% Rye
2-3 ice cubes
orange peel to garnish

Combine first 4 ingredients, stirring thoroughly. Squeeze orange peel to release orange zest oil and drop into drink.
 
 

The Mint Julep

The very idea of the mint julep conjures up images of the Old South.

Perhaps this is because the mint julep is the cocktail of the Kentucky Derby where over 120,000 mint julep cocktails are consumed each year.

It’s often served in high ball glass or a sterling and pewter julep cup, which is similar to the Moscow Mule copper mug.

3 sprigs of fresh mint
3 tbsp simple syrup
2oz Canadian Club Chairman’s Select 100% Rye
crushed ice

Muddle the 1 sprig mint along with the Canadian Club and simple syrup. Strain into glass, add crushed ice and garnish with mint.
 
 

Hot Toddy

There’s nothing like a warm drink in cold weather. Although this classic whisky cocktail wasn’t always a warm drink. Invented in the mid-1800s a toddy was any choice of spirits, water and honey that would cure whatever ailed you.

Today it’s almost always served warm and while it’s questionable whether it will help your cold you can guarantee it will warm you up. If you have a sweet tooth I think it would go so well with this Irish Apple Cake with Whiskey Cream.

The only thing that could make a classic hot toddy better would be the addition of spice like a dash of sriracha or gochujang. 

2oz Canadian Club Chairman’s Select 100% Rye
2 tsp honey
1 cloves
dash of freshly ground nutmeg
1 slice lemon to garnish

Place ingredients in mug and pour in hot water. Stir to combine.
 
 

Whiskey Sour

The whisky sour is similar to the pisco sour recipe, replacing pisco with whisky.

Sours generally include frothy raw egg white, such as one of my favourite Empress gin cocktails. This makes some people uncomfortable. But, I served many pisco sours working at a hostel bar in Cuzco and no one had any issues.
 

 
Salmonella is not common in Canada. The key is to use fresh, quality eggs. That said if you are hesitant to incorporate raw egg it’s perfectly fine to omit it.

2 oz Canadian Club Chairman’s Select 100% Rye
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp simple syrup
1 egg white

Shake all ingredients vigorously, which will froth the egg white. Pour into your favourite glass. 

It’s traditionally served in a low ball glass but I think the frothiness and maraschino lends itself to a more elegant glass.

 

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post from Canadian Club, they did not request that we write about classic whisky cocktails, only to share what we thought readers would be most interested in – and with this colder weather we know many have cocktails on their minds.

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