The Best Five: Whiskey Cocktails to Order at Any Cocktail Bar
Words, Tyler Zielinski
Photography, Tyler Zielinski , Noah Fecks + Farmer and Sons
Humans are creatures of habit. We love our routines, have specific preferences, and favor when life flows in a way that is fitting for our needs. When it comes to ordering cocktails often times, these habits carry over. While our personal flow is all well and good, it has the potential to inhibit us from exploring new flavors that we might learn to love and embrace. That vodka-soda is an easy, albeit “low-cal,” drink to order, but why not switch it up and add some fresh flavor and style to your next drinking experience?
Chances are, you won’t regret your decision to be bold and order something out of the ordinary; after all, most of us do enjoy an adventure. These whiskey cocktails are simple, clean, and can be easily enjoyed anywhere. Step into your inner adventurer and go for one of these delectable tipples.
Gold Rush
Photography, courtesy of Tyler Zielinski
A contemporary classic cocktail that will go down in history as one of the best, easy-to-make whiskey sours in existence. It was birthed at the legendary Milk & Honey by bartender T.J Siegel, and has flourished in today’s cocktail scene. It is made with bourbon, lemon, and honey - shaken, and can be served up or on the rocks. Either way, the likelihood of you only having one is slim as they’re liquid gold (and look like it too).
Boulevardier
Photography, courtesy of Noah Fecks
The Boulevardier is a three-ingredient classic take on the popular cocktail, the Negroni; but, instead of it being made with gin, bourbon stands-in as the base with Campari and sweet vermouth added for balance and complexity. This spirit-forward elixir is bitter, savory, and will leave you with a fine buzz after just one or two. Also, can we just admire how beautiful it looks? This beauty can be sipped at the chic, newly opened, Dear Irving on Hudson.
Midnight Stinger
Photography, courtesy of Farmer and Sons
Another whiskey sour cocktail that was made popular by the team at the famed Milk & Honey. The Midnight Stinger is a split-based mix made with the mentholated, and bitter, Fernet Branca and bourbon. Building on the base, sugar, and lemon are added where the mix is then shaken, and poured, over crushed/pebbled ice - making for a cocktail that is omni-seasonal and scarily crushable. You can still find this one on the menu at Farmer & Sons, a bar influenced by the aforementioned industry leading cocktail bar, Milk & Honey.
Old-Fashioned
Photography, courtesy of Tyler Zielinski
The Old-Fashioned can be made many ways, with a variety of spirits, but a classic whiskey-based (whether it be bourbon or rye) Old-Fashioned is always a delight. For this classic, you will want to have a branded preference on your base spirit as the quality will elevate this cocktail significantly. Woodford Reserve is a great if you’re into bourbon and is widely available, and you can’t go wrong with Bulleit Rye if that suits you.
Manhattan
Photography, courtesy of Tyler Zielinski
Whiskey, vermouth, and bitters have never tasted so extraordinary. Similar with the Old-Fashioned, if your bartender can stir you up a well-balanced, properly chilled and diluted Manhattan, then you’ll want to make sure you visit that bartender again because they’re doing it right. No matter what cocktail bar you’re at, ordering a Manhattan is a great cocktail if you’re a slow sipper and truly want to savor your spirit.