I’m heading off to the liquor store later this week in search of some ingredients for the Christmas cocktails recommended to me. I’ve got vodka and spiced rum I like, but for things like Coquito and the Godfather, I’m not sure what brands would work best. I’ll need a whisky (or bourbon?) white rum and amaretto. What do all of yall like for mixing?
I have had a lot of whiskey drinks I’ve liked and good scotch from my in laws, but I’ve never bought any myself so this is like… a treasure trove of information! Thanks! I am looking for mixing, like I’ve heard bourbon goes well in hot spiced apple cider and I think it’s an ingredient in Godfathers, but some just say whiskey so I don’t know if the specifics matter. I like Irish coffees a lot, do you have any recommendations for a good Irish whiskey?
I’ve never really had Irish whisky besides Jameson which I think was decent but I haven’t had enough to make a recommendation. Not much if any Canadian.
The whiskies I mix the most are maker’s mark (by far), Costco blended scotch (it’s decent enough to mix and cheap. Not a recommendation by any means but it goes well enough with Coke Zero) and Elijah Craig. Rye isn’t my fav, but Sazerac and Diet Coke is pretty good.
Now I’m a little higher end with whisky. There’s nothing wrong with Jim Beam or Jack Daniel’s or Johnny Walker as mixers, but I don’t buy them. Gentlemen Jack is decent for sipping but tbh I haven’t had any since I started really getting into whisky so idk how it would hold up in my estimation today.
Best whisky I’ve had for cider is a Traverse City apple whisky. You can make do with fireball if you really like the cinnamon, but make no mistake that shit is awful.
I’ve not had a Godfather, so no particular recommendations there, but Basil Hayden makes a decent Old Fashioned. As does Maker’s Mark. Maker’s Mark is a really good all arounder if you were only going to buy one thing. It’s not my favorite, but it goes well in cocktails and with soda.
But I can’t recommend BH Red Wine Cask enough for a sipping whisky (think I said sherry cask earlier but I was remembering it wrong). Surprisingly smooth for the price point (it’s not cheap, but it’s not 18yr Macallan expensive).