Whiskey Cocktails
Whiskey Cocktails
A manhattan is arguable the classic whiskey cocktail that can be made with rye (or your whiskey of choice!). The Wigle Monhattan is a play on this in that we are using our take on Monongahela Rye (the Monongahela is one of the three major rivers in Pittsburgh) and Wigle Cocktail Mixer No. 1, our take on a sweet vermouth built on sweet cider rather than fortified wine for a uniquely Pennsylvania influence.
2 oz Wigle Organic Pennsylvania Straight Rye Whiskey
1 oz Wigle Cocktail Mixer #1 (sweet vermouth)
3-4 dashes Wigle Organic Pomander Orange Bitters
Cocktail cherry and orange peel for garnish
Carefully measure all ingredients, pouring them into a mixing glass. Add a generous scoop of ice, and stir until well chilled. Strain into a chilled coupe or rocks glass with a large cube and garnish with your favorite cocktail cherry and orange peel. Express the orange peel oils over the finished cocktail before serving!
Arguably, the definition of a cocktail (spirits, bitters, sugar and water), the old fashioned as experience a resurgence. We serve it at the distillery without muddled slices of orange and cherries, though many people enjoy the more fruit forward versions of this cocktail.
2 oz of your favorite Wigle Whiskey (rye, wheat, bourbon or something more adventurous!)
1 sugar cube
2 dashes Wigle Organic Pomander Orange
2 dashes Wigle Organic Aromatic Bitters
Splash of water
In a rocks glass, saturate the sugar cube with bitters. Add a splash of water, and muddle until dissolved. Add whiskey and large cube, and stir until well chilled. Garnish with a large swath of orange peel.
The sazerac cocktail, which has deep roots in New Orleans, has established a strong following of rye lovers. A combination of rye whiskey, absinthe, bitters and sugar, and often served neat, it offers a full bodied, booze forward cocktail. Wigle pays homage to this cocktail with the a slight variation based on the organic bitters we have to offer and the uniquely minty absinthe we produce.
2 oz Wigle Organic Pennsylvania Straight Rye Whiskey
½ oz birch bark simple syrup
¼ oz Wigle Organic Absent Minded absinthe
2 dashes Wigle Organic Rosemary Lavender Bitters
2 dashes Wigle Organic Pomander Orange Bitters
To make the Birch bark Syrup, combine 1 part sugar, 1 part boiling water, dried birch bark or sarsaparilla.
Rinse the interior of the rocks glass with the absinthe. Fill the glass with crushed ice and water and set aside to chill. Carefully measure the remaining ingredients, pouring them into a mixing glass. Add a generous scoop of ice, and stir until well chilled. Discard the ice and excess absinthe from the prepared glass, and strain the cocktail into the glass. Served neat, with a lemon twist for garnish.
A Vieux Carre is one of my all time favorite rye whiskey cocktails. The basis of the cocktail is rye, sweet vermouth and brandy, with a dash of benedictine and bitters. In place of Bénédictine Liqueur, try substituting Wigle Organic Absent Minded absinthe, Chartreuse, or an amaro, depending on what’s on hand. For the brandy, try substituting Wigle Apple Liqueur, which is an apple brandy sweetened with fresh pressed apple cider. If you have a bottle of Landlocked Oaked, that will also work well.
0.75 oz Wigle Organic Pennsylvania Straight Rye Whiskey
0.75 oz Wigle Cocktail Mixer No. 1
0.75 oz Wigle Apple Liqueur
1 bar spoon of Wigle Organic Absent Minded Absinthe (or Bénédictine)
1 dash of Wigle Organic Aromatic Bitters
1 dash of Wigle Organic Pomander Orange Bitters
Combine all the ingredients, add ice and stir for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Strain into a coupe to enjoy up, or a rocks glass with a single large cube. Garnish with lemon or orange peel, expressed over glass. (Consider, also, one of your favorite cocktail cherries).
Wigle’s take on a whiskey sour balances the tart lemon juice with agave syrup and smooths it out with an egg white.
2 oz Wigle Organic Pennsylvania Straight Bourbon Whiskey
¾ oz lemon juice
¾ oz demerara sugar syrup
2 dashes Wigle Organic Aromatic Bitters
1 Egg white
Measure all ingredients carefully, pouring them into a shaking tin. Vigorously shake without ice until everything is incorporated. Add a generous scoop of ice and shake again until well chilled. Strain into a chilled coupe glass, and garnish with 2 drops of bitters on top.
A boulevardier cocktail combines the rich spirits of whiskey, Campari and sweet vermouth. Depending on your love of Campari, you can adjust the balance of the cocktail by increasing the whiskey.
¾ oz Wigle Organic Pennsylvania Straight Bourbon Whiskey
¾ oz Campari or your favorite bitter orange liqueur
¾ oz Wigle Cocktail Mixer No 1 (or your favorite sweet vermouth)
Measure all ingredients carefully, pouring them into a shaking tin. Add a generous scoop of ice and stir until well chilled. Strain into a chilled coupe glass, and garnish with an orange peel. Consider, alternatively, straining into rocks glass with large cube to allow cocktail to mellow and open up as it slowly dilutes. Express an orange peel over the cocktail and attach to the rim.
This cocktail compliments the traditional whiskey flavors with the roast-y coffee flavors of a coffee liqueur. Consider swapping out the whiskey for your favorite style (try bourbon or wheat).
1.5 oz Wigle Organic Pennsylvania Rye Whiskey
½ oz Wigle Organic Coffee Liqueur
3-4 dashes Wigle Organic Pomander Orange Bitters
Carefully measure all ingredients, pouring them into a mixing glass. Add a generous scoop of ice, and stir until well chilled. Strain into a rocks glass with a large cube, and garnish with an orange twist. Consider swapping out a lemon peel expression for a variation.
This cocktail uses Wigle’s rhubarb liqueur to sweeten the whiskey while adding a few herbal and spicy notes that are complimented by refreshing lime. Consider substituting your favorite Wigle Whiskey or decreasing the absinthe dose if you’d prefer to minimize the licorice flavor.
1.5 oz Wigle Organic Wheat Whiskey
1 oz Wigle Rhubarb Liqueur
¼ oz Wigle Organic Absent Minded Absinthe
¼ oz smoked simple syrup
Lime zest
Measure all ingredients carefully, pouring them into a shaking tin. Add a generous scoop of ice and shake until well chilled. Strain into a chilled coupe glass, and serve garnished with a lime wedge. Served up in a chilled coup glass.
1.5 oz Rye Whiskey
1 oz Apple Liqueur
½ oz lemon
½ oz simple syrup
Carefully measure all ingredients, pouring them into a stirring glass. Add a generous scoop of ice and stir until very well chilled. Strain into a coupe glass and garnish with a large lemon twist.
1.5 oz Rye Whiskey
½ oz Coffee Liqueur
3-4 dashes Pomander Orange Bitters
Carefully measure all ingredients, pouring them into a mixing glass. Add a generous scoop of ice, and stir until well chilled. Strain into a rocks glass with a large cube, and garnish with an orange twist.
