My favorite drink these days is a variation on a pre-Prohibition-era drink called a Whiskey Cocktail. It’s based on Jennifer Colliau’s recipe from Small Hand Foods.
The cocktail’s supposed to be made with bourbon (Buffalo Trace is recommended), but I use Bulleit small-batch rye. The Buffalo Trace has a lot of body, the Bulleit has a lot of character. It’s a preference thang.
Here’s the recipe, if you’re curious. Ingredients are listed in their pictured order, left to right.
- 1/4 oz simple syrup (1:1 sugar-to-water ratio)
- 1 dash Angostura bitters
- 1 dash orange bitters
- 2 oz. Bulleit rye (green label) or Buffalo Trace bourbon
- 1 lemon peel
- Add simple syrup and bitters to an old-fashioned glass.
- Add lemon peel and muddle moderately to release the oils.
- Add rye (or bourbon).
- Add large ice cubes (I use either the Tovolo King cube mold or the amazingly cool Tovolo sphere ice balls).
- Stir for 15-20 seconds.
It’s a tasty, sipping drink. They do sneak up on you, though.