We absolutely love these rye whiskey cocktails (and you will too)

When crafting whiskey-based cocktails, nobody will blame you for heading directly to bourbon before any other whiskey. The mellow, sweet corn flavor of a well-made bourbon whiskey is difficult to beat as the base for your favorite cocktail. But if you want a change of pace that is sure to add a little spice to your mixed drinks, you’ll use rye whiskey instead.

It helps that the spirit that’s known for its cracked black pepper, herbal, caramel, vanilla, oak, and spiced flavor is the base for some of the most well-known cocktails ever created. This includes myriad classic drinks like the Old Pal, Manhattan, Vieux Carré, and Sazerac

4 great rye whiskey cocktails

Now that we’ve learned a little bit about the prowess of rye whiskey when it comes to creating complex, nuanced drinks, it’s time to find some to add to your repertoire. Below, you’ll find six of the best timeless rye whiskey-based cocktails to mix up all year long. Keep scrolling to see them all, learn about their histories, and find step-by-step directions detailing how to make each one.

Scofflaw

The classic Scofflaw cocktail is made with rye, dry vermouth, grenadine, and lemon juice (and orange bitters in some cases). This drink comes from the Prohibition-era term that referred to anyone who imbibed alcohol in secret during those alcohol-free years. We couldn’t think of a more appropriate name for this cocktail, which originated in 1924 at Harry’s Bar in Paris. This sour was created by a mysterious bartender solely referred to as “Jock”.

What you need to make a Scofflaw

• 1.5 ounces of rye whiskey
• 1 ounce of dry vermouth
• .75 ounces of fresh lemon juice
• .75 ounces of grenadine
• 1-2 dashes of orange bitters

The Scofflaw recipe steps

1. Add ice to a shaker.
2. Pour in the rye whiskey, dry vermouth, lemon juice, grenadine, and orange bitters.
3. Shake vigorously to combine.
4. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
5. Garnish with an orange twist.

Vieux Carré

This iconic New Orleans cocktail was created in the 1930s by a bartender named Walter Bergeron at the Carousel Bar at the Hotel Monteleone. The name is French for “old square,” and it’s a reference to the popular, historic French Quarter. The drink itself is made with rye whiskey, cognac, sweet vermouth, Benedictine, and Peychaud’s bitters.

What you need to make a Vieux Carré

• .75 ounces of rye whiskey
• .75 ounces of cognac
• .75 ounces sweet vermouth
• 1 teaspoon of Benedictine
• 3-4 dashes of Peychaud’s bitters

The Vieux Carré recipe steps

1. Add ice to a mixing glass.
2. Pour in the rye whiskey, cognac, sweet vermouth, Benedictine, and Peychaud’s bitters.
3. Stir gently to combine.
4. Strain into an ice-filled rocks or old fashioned glass.
5. Garnish with a cocktail cherry.

Old Pal

If you enjoy a classic Negroni from time to time, you’ll love the Old Pal. That’s because this drink swaps out the gin in favor of rye whiskey. This spicy, semisweet, boozy drink is equal parts rye whiskey, dry vermouth, and Campari. This drink which has some similarities to the popular Boulevardier is believed to have been created by renowned bartender and writer Harry MacElhone sometime in the 1920s although it first appeared in print in 1927.

What you need to make an Old Pal

• 1 ounce of rye whiskey
• 1 ounce of dry vermouth
• 1 ounce of Campari

The Old Pal recipe steps

1. Add ice to the mixing glass.
2. Pour in the rye whiskey, dry vermouth, and Campari into the glass.
3. Stir gently to combine.
4. Strain into a chilled coupe glass.
5. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Manhattan

When it comes to classic cocktails, it’s difficult to beat the appeal and simplicity of a Manhattan. It’s made with rye whiskey, sweet red vermouth, and Angostura bitters. This boozy, sweet cocktail has its origins in the late 1800s. While there are various stories about its genesis, many believe it was created in the 1870s by a bartender named Iain Marshall at the Manhattan Club in New York City for a dinner hosted by Lady Randolph Churchill (the mother of Winston Churchill).

What you need to make a Manhattan

• 2 ounces of rye whiskey
• .75 ounces of sweet red vermouth
• 2-3 dashes of Angostura bitters

The Manhattan recipe steps

1. Add ice to a mixing glass.
2. Pour in the rye whiskey, sweet red vermouth, and Angostura bitters.
3. Stir gently to combine.
4. Strain into a chilled cocktail or coupe glass.
5. Garnish with a cocktail cherry

Bottom line

Now that you’ve learned a little bit about the classic rye whiskey-based cocktails that you should add to your repertoire, can you put down that bourbon for a few minutes and give them a try? Thanks to the mix of peppery rye spice and sweetness from the other ingredients, you’ll be very happy you did.