For years, people have suggested that you should only ever drink single malt whisky neat or with, at most, two drops of water. However, those people are missing out on some fantastic cocktails. One whisky can be completely different from the next, as some are very peaty and smoky, almost like a liquid cigar, while others are easy drinking and have Christmassy notes.
Some single malt whisky truly is better neat, but it pays to discover a great single malt scotch whisky for cocktails.
- The Old Fashioned
The quintessential whisky cocktail, the Old Fashioned is a simple way to dress it up a little bit. It’s easy to make and lets the whisky speak for itself, making it a great cocktail for any type of whisky. The traditional Old Fashioned enhances the whisky, so try it with your favourite.
You will need:
- ½ teaspoon of sugar, or 1 sugar cube.
- 3 dashes bitters.
- 2 shots of your favourite whisky.
- Orange peel.
First, put the sugar in your glass and add the bitters. Stir to mix. Then, simply add the whisky and some ice. Stir once more. Twist and squeeze the orange peel towards the glass to express its flavours, then add it as a garnish. If you want, you can also add a maraschino cherry.
Finally, enjoy your drink. It’s as simple as that.
- Rusty Nail
This is another incredibly simple cocktail, which is all about the whisky. It’s designed to be made with Scottish whisky and works with even the nicest single malts. The Rusty Nail only has two ingredients, and you can feel free to tweak the ratios to your liking. It’s typically served without a garnish, but there’s nothing wrong with an orange or lemon twist.
You will need:
- 2 shots of your favourite whisky.
- ½ shot of Drambuie (a whisky liqueur)
Pour the ingredients into a glass and add a couple of large ice cubes. Stir well. Garnish if you like, then enjoy.
- Whisky Six
This cocktail is especially good for a more delicate, fruity whisky. Something easy-going and sweet, but that still has a nice body and depth of flavour. Just because a whisky is easy to drink, it doesn’t mean that it has to be insipid. The whisky six is a tall drink, perfect for hot days.
You will need:
- 2 shots of a fruity whisky.
- 4 shots of soda water.
- A sprig of fresh mint.
Fill a tall glass with ice, then add the whisky and soda water. Stir well, then top with the sprig of fresh mint as a garnish. Enjoy.
- Whisky & Mead
Finally, what about something a little different? Mead is a sweet, warming drink, which is ideal for cold autumn nights. It makes sense that it would go nicely with whisky.
You will need:
- 1½ shot of whisky.
- 1½ shot of mead.
- 2 dashes of orange bitters.
- ¼ teaspoon of honey.
- Orange peel.
Add one large ice cube to a glass, then add the whisky, mead, and orange bitters. Put a little bit of honey on a teaspoon and stir the drink with it. Add the orange peel and enjoy.
