Holiday season is upon us, which means—it’s the season of merriment, too! Before you know it, you’re attending parties and year end get-togethers much more times than your inner introvert can actually take. But your crazy friends will be there, or perhaps family you haven’t seen in ages, and that’s always enough reason to tuck the lola vibes away and back into the closet.
And, frankly, after a well-fought year (you survived, congrats!) we could all use a drink. Or two. Or three. And what party is complete without the drinks? SPECIFICALLY the whisky? Whisky drinkers can back me up on this. Whisky has been gaining popularity around the world and Filipinos are quickly catching up on this trend, too.
If you aren’t familiar with whisky just yet, well, here’s the chance to get acquainted. For those who do not know, whisky is a distilled alcoholic drink made from fermented grain mash. They are aged in wooden casks or barrels, which is how they get their deep caramel color. And the logic is this: the longer it has been aged, the darker the color, the better the taste.
Please, PLEASE, don’t go up to the bartender at some party and ask for gin pomelo. Jk. Beer is fine but…can’t we graduate from that already? It’s time to up your game. Plus—trust me on this—there is nothing sexier than a guy (or a lady, especially that) who can handle their whisky. 😉
So listen up, and take notes. Presenting, 10 Whisky-Based Mixers that’ll be the best wingman you’ll ever have:
10. Old Fashioned
What you need:
- 2 ounces whisky
- ½ ounce syrup
- 2 dashes of bitters
- 1 inch of orange peel
- 1 cherry (optional)
- Ice
What to do: Pour the whisky and syrup together in a mixing glass filled with ice. Add the dash of bitters, and stir. Strain mix into a pre-chilled cocktail glass over fresh ice. Squeeze the orange peel over the mix and drop the peel in. Finally, add a cherry in (though this last one is optional).
9. Southern Cucumber
What you need:
- 1/2 cup diced seedless cucumber
- 1/2 ounce simple syrup
- 2 ounces whisky
- 1/2 ounce lemon juice
- 1/2 ounce lime juice
- 2 ounces ginger ale
- 1 cucumber spear for garnish
What to do: Mix up the cucumber and simple syrup. Then add the whisky, the lemon juice, and the lime juice. Fill the glass with ice. Finally, shake the mix before topping it off with the ginger ale and the cucumber spear.
8. Irish Redhead
What you need:
- 3 ounces whisky
- 1 ounce Grenadine
- 5-6 ounces of clear soda
- Lemon and lime juice
What to do: Mix all of the ingredients and serve over ice. Garnish with lemon or lime wedge.
7. Mint Julep
What you need:
- 2 ounces whisky
- 1 ounce minted syrup
- 2 cups crushed ice
- Mint sprig
What to do: Into a glass, add the syrup, crushed ice, whisky, and a splash of water. Fill glass with ice. Stir well and garnish with mint sprig.
6. Whisky & Citrus Soda
What you need:
- Whisky
- Citrus soda (like Mountain Dew)
- Ice
What to do: Mix 2 parts citrus soda, 1 part whisky, and ice. Adjust depending on your taste preference. Pro tip: It can be a real treat seeing the whisky and citrus soda separate in the glass. To do this, pour the whisky slowly over the citrus soda and ice.
