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
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
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
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
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
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.
