Best Whiskey Drink Recipes For Winter 2015

What is it about whiskey that makes you feel extra warm and fuzzy inside? Whatever it is, it’s the same thing that makes your mind jump to dark wintery nights in a cozy pub with Jude Law, snow falling outside with the fire roaring – oh wait, that’s The Holiday. You can still get that vibe with one of these five cocktails (minus the Jude). Try one out this weekend…

Cinnamon-Infused Whiskey Cocktail

Ingredients:

1 cup Whiskey

2 Cinnamon sticks

1 Whole Clove

1/2 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes

2 cups Apple Juice

Apple Slices, for garnish

Directions:

In a jar, combine whiskey, cinnamon sticks, clove, and red pepper flakes. Seal the jar and let sit for at least 24 hours and up to 72 hours. Strain the whiskey and discard the spices.

To make the cocktail, combine 1 1/2 ounces infused whiskey with 4 ounces apple juice. Pour over ice and garnish with fresh apple slices.

Irish Coffee

Ingredients:

1 1/2 ounces Rye Whiskey

1/2 ounce Cream

4 ounces Coffee, hot

Whipped Cream, for garnish

Cocoa Powder, for garnish

Directions:

Combine rye and cream in a mug, stir together. Pour in the hot coffee and top with whipped cream and cocoa powder.

Hot Toddy with Honey

Ingredients:

1 ounce Rye Whiskey

1 teaspoon Honey

1 tablespoon Lemon Juice

5 ounces Water, boiling

Sliced Lemons, for garnish

Directions:

Combine lemon juice, honey, and boiling water in a mug. Stir well to dissolve honey. Stir in rye whiskey and garnish with lemon slices.

Old Fashioned Cocktail

Ingredients:

2 ounces Rye whisky

1/2 teaspoon Honey

3 dashes Bitters — Angostura bitters

Splash Sparkling Water (optional)

Star Anise Seed (optional)

Orange Peel, for garnish

Directions:

Stir together whiskey, honey, bitters. Serve over ice with a splash of sparkling water, star anise and orange peel garnish.

Sassafras Cobbler

From Rich Lilley, The Bar at Clement at The Peninsula Hotel

Ingredients:

2 oz Dickel Rye

.25 oz simple syrup

lemon juice

6 pickled blueberries

2 sassafras leaves

1 oz pickled blueberry juice

Garnish w/ 3 blueberries on a cocktail pick and 3 blueberries on top

Line the inside of a rocks glass with a large sassafras leaf. Add 2 ounces of Dickel Rye, 0.25 ounce of simple syrup, a splash of lemon juice, 1 ounce of pickled blueberry juice, slap and crush one sassafras leaf into a shaker. Shake and strain into a rocks glass, add ice.

Also try one of our favorite holiday cocktails. Photographed by Alli Shepherd.