The Whiskey Cocktails You’ll Wish You Mastered Sooner (And How to Nail Them)

Whiskey isn’t just for sipping neat—some of the best drinks in the world start with a pour of your favorite bottle. These cocktails are easier than they look, packed with flavor, and guaranteed to impress anyone who tries them. From classics to twists, here’s the lineup you’ll regret not mastering earlier, plus the dead-simple steps to get them right every time.

Start with the Old Fashioned. It’s bourbon or rye (51% corn or rye per U.S. regulations), sugar, bitters, and an orange peel—nothing fancy, but timeless. Use Buffalo Trace ($25)—its caramel and oak balance the sweetness—muddle a sugar cube with two dashes of Angostura bitters, add 2 ounces of whiskey, stir with ice, and twist an orange peel over it. No shaking, no fuss. It’s been a staple since the 1800s, per The Oxford Companion to Spirits and Cocktails, and it’s still king for a reason.

Next, the Whiskey Sour. Lemon juice, simple syrup, and whiskey—bourbon like Maker’s Mark ($25) works with its vanilla notes—make this a zinger. Mix 2 ounces whiskey, ¾ ounce fresh lemon juice, and ½ ounce syrup (1:1 sugar-water), shake with ice, strain into a rocks glass, and top with a cherry if you’ve got it. Add an egg white (optional, pasteurized if store-bought) for a frothy cap—shaken dry first, then with ice. It’s a 19th-century classic, per The PDT Cocktail Book, and a crowd-pleaser.

Then, the Manhattan. Rye’s the play—Bulleit Rye ($30) brings spice—mixed with sweet vermouth and bitters. Stir 2 ounces rye, 1 ounce vermouth (Carpano Antica if you can), and two dashes Angostura bitters with ice, strain into a chilled coupe, and garnish with a Luxardo cherry. No maraschino neon stuff—real cherries matter. It’s been a New York icon since the 1870s, per Imbibe Magazine.

Try the Irish Coffee next. Tullamore D.E.W. ($25)—honeyed and light—pairs with coffee and cream. Pour 1½ ounces of whiskey into 6 ounces of hot black coffee, stir in 1 teaspoon of brown sugar, and float ½ inch of heavy cream (whipped lightly) on top via a spoon’s back. Invented in 1940s Ireland, per The Spruce Eats, it’s warmth in a mug.

Finish with the Rob Roy. Scotch swaps for rye—Glenfiddich 12 ($50) adds malt and pear—keeping the Manhattan’s blueprint. Stir 2 ounces Scotch, 1-ounce sweet vermouth, and two dashes Angostura bitters with ice, strain into a coupe, and drop a cherry. It’s been around since 1894, per Difford’s Guide, and it’s a smoky twist worth knowing.

These aren’t hard—stir or shake, grab a decent bottle, and you’re golden. Buffalo Trace, Bulleit, Tullamore—tasting notes from Breaking Bourbon and The Whiskey Wash confirm they shine here. Want the best whiskey for your next mix? Check out NEAT: Whiskey Finder—it’ll help you track down the perfect bottles near you.