If you don’t know your whiskey stones from your whiskey sticks, don’t fret: whiskey can be anyone’s drink, with a little help.
We’ve all heard it before: “oh, I’m not a whiskey person.” Maybe you’ve said it, maybe a close friend or a family member uttered those dreaded and heart-breaking words.
The fact is, who can blame you? Before you’ve developed a taste for whiskey, it can be a rough, hard-hitting drink that brings along a heavy burning sensation in its wake. As liquors go, the flavor “learning curve” can be steep.
It doesn’t help, either, that a lot of people’s first run at whiskey takes place in high school or college, with a bottle of whiskey that most likely wasn’t top shelf. Or even bottom shelf. It might be a secret shelf under the bottom shelf full of whiskeys that are actually cut with Lysol.
But fear not! Whether you’re looking to dip your toe into the whiskey world or to help a friend find their inner tippler, we can help.
4 Whiskey Cocktails that Will Make You Fall in Love with Whiskey
Here are 4 whiskey cocktails that can be the first step on a long road to whiskey love.
1. The Whiskey Sour
Perhaps the most basic and commonly-found whiskey cocktail found in bars across the world – if you don’t count Jack-and-Coke, which we don’t – is the Whiskey Sour.
Long before many people are whiskey drinkers, they’ve tried the classic whiskey sour in a bar or club somewhere. It’s a relatively simple cocktail to make – simple syrup, lemon or lime juice, and whiskey. Some bars use Sour Mix, which may have soured you on the cocktail.
Instead, try using fresh lemon or lime juice, simple syrup, and a mellow whiskey of your choice. You’ll find the bite of the lemon adds a nice counterpoint to the heavy whiskey flavor, and the sugar mellows out both flavors into an exciting mix that’s easy to drink.
Drop in a couple of our whiskey stones to keep your drink ice-cold without compromising your beverage!
2. The Mint Julep
This cocktail isn’t quite as simple as a whiskey sour, and in fact, may get you a dirty look if your order it at some bars – it can be a bit of pain to make. You need sugar, fresh mint leaves, a muddler, and a few other ingredients, and it isn’t exactly as easy as popping the top off a beer.
Still, classier establishments won’t blink at you, so feel free to order one without anxiety. Or, better yet, grab the ingredients and make it at home yourself!
A proper mint julep has 2 ounces of whiskey, 1 tablespoon of sugar, about 8 mint leaves, and club soda. You muddle the sugar and the leaves until the leaves break down, and then add a ton of ice – fill the glass up. Then comes the 2 ounces of whiskey, stir, and fill the rest of the glass with club soda. Boom, you’re done.
It’s a nice, refreshing cocktail that’s perfect for a warm day. Plus, you get to shout “I DO DECLARE” and “THIS HEAT IS OPPRESSIVE” whenever you want, for the true southern mint julep experience.
3. The Blushing Betty
This cocktail is less famous, but it has a simple flavor profile that really works and doesn’t overwhelm with the whiskey.
A Blushing Betty contains pink grapefruit juice, simple syrup, bourbon, and a grapefruit wedge. That’s it. However, the bitter, sweet, and smoky flavors of this cocktail combine into a nice balanced taste that will leave you ordering more (and wondering how much whiskey you’ve had at the end of the day).
4. The Kentucky / Tennessee / Irish Mule
Whiskey mules go by a lot of names, mostly from your classic whiskey export locations like Kentucky, Tennessee, and Ireland. Some contain bourbon, others rye, and of course the classic bite of good Irish whiskey.
Whichever variant you choose, a whiskey mule can be a nice beginners drink for would-be whiskey fans.
The ingredients are thus: ginger beer, whiskey, lime juice, and ice. That’s it. It’s an extremely trendy drink at the moment, so you shouldn’t have a problem finding it on the menu of any local bar or restaurant.
It’s a classic twist on the Moscow Mule cocktail, and combines the biting sweetness of ginger, the low mellow whiskey, and the light sting of lime juice to create a refreshing, delicious cocktail.
Whiskey – and Whiskey Stones - Can Be for Everyone
And it should be! Optimistically, it will be.
We believe in you. Any (or all, good luck tonight) of these cocktails can open up your taste buds to the first flirty advances of delicious whiskey. Before long, you’ll be drinking whiskey neat with a small drop of water from your custom glass whiskey dropper and dropping a couple whiskey stones in your tumbler.
Swing by Sipdark now and pick up all the whiskey accessories you need to become a true whiskey connoisseur.