Whisky cocktails
Whisky cocktails tend to be short, stirred and strong, built to show the spirit off rather than hide it. Each recipe tells you whether to reach for Scotch, bourbon, rye or Irish whiskey.
You do not need an expensive bottle. A good everyday bourbon and a blended Scotch will make every drink on this page.
18 recipes
Bourbon, rye, Scotch or Irish whiskey
Bourbon is American whiskey made mainly from corn, and it tastes sweeter, with vanilla and caramel. Rye is spicier and drier. Blended Scotch is lighter and gentler, and Irish whiskey is smooth and soft. The spelling differs too: Scotch is whisky, while Irish and American are whiskey.
Many recipes are flexible. The Old Fashioned uses bourbon or rye, and the Manhattan uses rye, or bourbon for a softer drink. Use Irish whiskey for Irish coffee, and blended Scotch for the Rob Roy and the Rusty Nail.
Classic stirred whisky cocktails
An Old Fashioned is 50 ml bourbon, a sugar cube, three dashes of Angostura bitters and an orange twist, served over one large ice cube. A Manhattan is 50 ml rye, 25 ml sweet vermouth and two dashes of Angostura, stirred for 30 to 40 seconds and served in a chilled coupe.
Swap the whiskey and you get new drinks. The Rob Roy is a Manhattan made with Scotch. The Boulevardier is a Negroni with bourbon in place of gin, at 40 ml bourbon, 25 ml Campari and 25 ml sweet vermouth.
Stir with plenty of ice, because a whisky drink should be cold with only a little water. Sweet vermouth is a fortified wine and goes stale once opened, so keep it in the fridge and use it within a few weeks.
Shaken whisky cocktails and sours
A whisky sour is 50 ml bourbon, 25 ml lemon juice and 20 ml sugar syrup, shaken with egg white or aquafaba for a silky foam. The Paper Plane is equal parts bourbon, Aperol, Amaro Nonino and lemon juice, 25 ml of each.
If you like smoke, try the Penicillin: blended Scotch, lemon and a honey-ginger syrup, with a small float of Islay single malt on top. The Blood and Sand is a fruitier shaken Scotch drink, with 25 ml each of Scotch, sweet vermouth, cherry brandy liqueur and orange juice.
Hot whisky drinks for cold days
A hot toddy is 50 ml whisky, 15 ml honey, 10 ml lemon juice and 100 ml just-boiled water, with cloves and a cinnamon stick. It is a comforting drink to sip slowly.
Irish coffee combines hot filter coffee, demerara sugar and lightly whipped cream with the whiskey. For more warming ideas, see hot drinks and Burns Night cocktails.
Questions people ask
What is the best whisky for cocktails?
A good everyday bottle is all you need. Use bourbon or rye for an Old Fashioned or Manhattan, blended Scotch for a Rob Roy or hot toddy, and Irish whiskey for Irish coffee. Save expensive single malts for sipping, because mixers and ice hide their finer notes.
What is the difference between an Old Fashioned and a Manhattan?
An Old Fashioned is whiskey, sugar and bitters, while a Manhattan is whiskey, sweet vermouth and bitters. The Old Fashioned is served over a large ice cube in a rocks glass. The Manhattan is served up in a chilled coupe, with a cocktail cherry.
What is the ratio for a Manhattan?
A Manhattan uses 2 parts whiskey to 1 part sweet vermouth: 50 ml of rye and 25 ml of sweet vermouth, with two dashes of Angostura bitters. Stir with ice for 30 to 40 seconds, strain into a chilled coupe and add a cocktail cherry.
Should I use bourbon or rye in a Manhattan?
Either works. Rye gives a drier, spicier Manhattan, while bourbon makes it rounder and softer. The usual choice is rye, but use whichever you prefer, and a decent sweet vermouth matters as much as the whiskey, so keep an opened bottle in the fridge.
What is in a hot toddy?
A hot toddy is whisky, honey, lemon juice and just-boiled water, with cloves and a cinnamon stick. This recipe uses 50 ml of whisky, 15 ml of honey, 10 ml of lemon juice and 100 ml of water. Blended Scotch is the usual choice.
What is a Rob Roy?
A Rob Roy is a Manhattan made with Scotch whisky instead of rye. It uses 50 ml of blended Scotch, 25 ml of sweet vermouth and two dashes of Angostura bitters, stirred and served in a chilled coupe with a cocktail cherry.