A favorite spirit among drinkers for this time of year is whiskey. With its oaky, nutty, caramel flavors and its shining amber hue, whiskey is the perfect drink for sipping by the fireside. But it also makes for a great cocktail ingredient, pairing well with autumnal spice flavors like cinnamon, vanilla, and nutmeg.
So if you’re looking for a whiskey cocktail to get you into the fall mood, then we have some suggestions below. There’s a take on the espresso martini which uses spicy rye whiskey in place of vodka to add a note of heat and interest to the drink and make it more cozy, or a smokey apple cocktail which captures the experience of devouring a toffee apple at a bonfire night. This one uses a smokey mix which is captured in the glass before the cocktail is poured in, added an indulgent smoky flavor in an easy method that can be done at home without special equipment.
And finally there’s a take on the classic Sazerac cocktail which adds pumpkin spice flavors that are always immediately reminiscent of the fall, but keeps the firm backbone of the drink with whiskey, absinthe, and spicy Peychaud’s Bitters.
Milam & Greene Espresso Rye-Tini
Ingredients:
- 2 oz Milam & Greene Port Finished Rye Whiskey
- 1 oz Espresso Cold Brew
- 0.5 oz Mr. Black Cold Brew Liqueur
- 0.5 oz Vanilla or regular simple
Method:
Mix the ingredients. Shake on ice for 20-25 seconds. Strain into a martini glass and garnish with coffee beans.
Triple Dog Irish Whiskey Smoked Apple & Sage Cocktail
Ingredients:
- 2 oz Triple Dog Irish Whiskey
- ½ oz Cinnamon & Sage syrup
- 1 oz Apple Cider
- ⅓ oz Lemon Juice
- 4 Sage sprigs
- 2 – 3 Apple slices
Method:
Place a pinch of apple wood chips and 2 sprigs of sage on a wooden board, using a BBQ lighter, light the mixture until it begins to smolder, place an old fashioned glass upside down over the smoking mixture.
In a cocktail shaker add all liquid ingredients, add a handful of cubed ice and shake for 10-15 seconds.
Place your smoked glass right side up, fill with pebbled ice and strain the cocktail into the glass. Garnish with apple slices and fresh sage leaves and optimally a pinch of cinnamon on top.
Make the cinnamon and sage syrup:
Add 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and 2 sage leaves to 1 cup of hot water and 1 cup of brown sugar. Stir well until the sugar has completely dissolved. Strain into a glass container and allow to cool.
Maverick Distilling Pumpkin Spice Sazerac
Ingredients:
- Absinthe rinse (or 1/4 ounce of absinthe)
- 2 oz. Maverick Distilling Straight Rye Whiskey
- 3 Dashes of Peychaud’s Bitters
- 0.5 oz Spiced Simple Syrup
- Lemon peel
Method:
Chill a rocks glass in the freezer for 15 minutes. Add the Maverick Distilling Straight Rye Whiskey, spiced simple syrup and bitters into a mixing glass with ice and stir for 30 seconds. Remove the rocks glass from the freezer and add the absinthe, swirling it around the inside, then discard the excess. Strain the stirred mixture into the prepared glass. Garnish with lemon peel (or wheel).
