Creative Whiskey Cocktails

Whiskey is broken down into several different kinds of spirits, all made from the same base ingredients but processed in different ways. When someone mentions whiskey, they are referring to either Irish whiskey, scotch, Scotch whisky (the only one spelled without the "e"), Canadian whiskey or bourbon. Most of these cocktails are high in alcohol content and scant on mixers or additives because most whiskey cocktails focus on allowing the consumer to savor the flavors inherent in the whiskey.

Three of the most traditional whiskey cocktails are the Manhattan, the rusty nail and the old fashioned. These cocktails rely on the flavors of the particular type of whiskey for their flair, so make sure not to swap out bourbon for scotch in one of these recipes.

Manhattan
Combine two ounces of bourbon with one fourth of an ounce of sweet vermouth and three dashes of bitters in a shaker with ice. Shake for one minute. Strain into a martini glass and garnish with a cherry.

Rusty Nail
Pour 1 ½ ounces of blended scotch and a half ounce of Drambuie into an old fashioned double glass filled with ice. Mix and garnish with a twist of lemon.

Old Fashioned
Place a sugar cube in the bottom of an old fashioned double glass. Drip three dashes of bitters onto the sugar cube. Place a slice of fresh orange into the bottom of the glass and muddle the three ingredients together. Add ice cubes. Pour in three ounces of bourbon. Garnish with a maraschino cherry and a second slice of fresh orange.

Creative Whiskey Cocktails
When getting more creative with these whiskey cocktails, you'll want to use Canadian whiskey because it is light and versatile. Serve each of these in whiskey glasses or high ball glasses, depending on the size of the cocktail.

California Lemonade
Combine two ounces Canadian whiskey, one ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice and one teaspoon simple syrup in a shaker with ice. Shake until mixed well. Pour into a high ball glass with ice and top with four ounces of club soda. Garnish with a maraschino cherry.

Frisco Sour
Combine two ounces Canadian whiskey, a half ounce of freshly squeezed lemon juice, a half ounce freshly squeezed lime juice and a half ounce Benedictine with ice. Shake for one minute. Strain into a cocktail glass and serve with a slice of lemon and lime.

Fancy Whiskey
Combine two ounces Canadian whiskey, a half ounce triple sec, a dash of bitters and one teaspoon simple syrup with ice in a shaker. Shake for one minute. Strain into a whiskey glass and serve with a twist of lemon.