The Best Cocktails to Order at a Whiskey Bar

With bars opening back up and nights out with family and friends is now welcomed (thanks, Covid-19), it feels good to finally have a seat at the bar and order your long-awaited cocktail. The problem is you cannot recall the name of the last cocktail you ordered. No need to worry, we have provided a list of the best go-to cocktails to order at a whiskey bar.

What is the Best Cocktail to Order at a Bar?

With so many options to choose from, it can be a mind-numbing process to order a cocktail from a bar’s menu. To help you out, we have researched and listed the 5 best bar drinks to order to make that process a little less troublesome.

1. Negroni – If you are looking for a drink that contains sophistication, this is the cocktail for you. Combined with equal parts gin, sweet vermouth, and Campari, Negronis are well-known as cocktails that are consistent with each sip, are delicious, and never fail to impress. As an added plus, these ingredients can be found in almost any bar and can be easily prepared by bartenders.
2. Mai Tai – If you are feeling tropical, this cocktail will take you on a journey to your favorite beach destination. The ingredients that create this Tiki classic are white rum, orange curaçao, dark rum, fresh lime juice, and orgeat syrup, making it a fruity yet delectable treat.
3. Moscow Mule – This fizzy concoction is the perfect middle ground between too strong and too sweet. Combined with lime juice, vodka, and ginger beer, the Moscow Mule is very popular for its spicy yet refreshing taste. And even better, bartenders can easily prepare it in a cocktail shaker and strain it into a copper mule cup, garnished with a lime wedge.
4. Classic Martini – if you want to have a cocktail where you can truly explore the ingredients without any added sugar, this cocktail is the one for you. Stirred, not shaken, London dry gin, dry vermouth, ice, and a Spanish olive is all that’s needed to create this elegant and classy cocktail. Anywhere you go, your bartender will know the delicate steps to perfect this widely popular drink.
5. Mojito – Known as one of the oldest cocktails out there, this iconic cocktail dates back to the 16th-century. Created with white rum, simple syrup, club soda, fresh lime juice, and mint leaves. This cocktail will always live up to its name, even Ernest Hemingway called it his favorite.

What are the Best Whiskey Cocktails to Order?

While sometimes bartenders can get creative with some of the best whiskey cocktails, having a classic whiskey drink can bring back old memories. These are some of the 5 best whiskey cocktails you can order at the bar:

1. Old Fashioned – This cocktail is a classic that is comprised of whiskey, bitters, sugar cubes, and an orange twist. This brings rich flavor that is perfectly balanced with bitter and sweet. Best of all, it is not a difficult cocktail to create for your bartender.
2. Manhattan – For true whiskey lovers, this cocktail has a balanced combination of sweetness and strong, garnished with a cherry. This is a simple yet classy cocktail that is served straight up and chilled in a cocktail glass.
3. Brown Derby – Combined with whiskey, honey simple syrup and grapefruit juice, this cocktail delivers a fruitful taste of sweet and sour. This is served chilled straight up.
4. Whiskey Sour – For those who love a kick of a sour punch in their drinks, a Whiskey Sour is a traditional cocktail that contains bourbon, lemon juice, sugar, and an egg white. When shaken well with cracked ice and strained into a chilled cocktail glass, your server will finish it off with a lemon wedge garnish and a cherry and call it an evening to remember.
5. Irish Coffee – For those who seek a cocktail for the holiday season, this cocktail is a hot drink that hits the spot during cold days. Made with brown sugar syrup and unsweetened heavy cream, blended with coffee and Irish whiskey, is the perfect dessert cocktail after dinner.

Why We Don’t Recommend a Frozen Drink

Although they may look pretty from the menu, frozen cocktails can pose a few downsides. Aside from other cocktails that a bartender can create, frozen drinks may take longer. Having a frozen cocktail may not sit with you as well as others, especially if you are wanting to dance afterward. Or the worst of all, you can experience a brain freeze, which can definitely ruin conversations with friends. Additionally, if you want a cocktail that is going to turn heads, a frozen drink might not be the best option, since it does not give your bartender enough wiggle room to craft something unique.

What Drink Would a Bartender Order?

Now gathering information from the other side of the bar, bartenders prefer to create cocktails that contain high quality but with minimal ingredients. On average, most cocktails contain 3 main ingredients: alcohol, a sour, and a sweet. When you visit Whiskey Baron Dance Hall & Saloon, try one these five specialty cocktails:

1. Appletini – This is a mixture of Vodka, Apple Pucker, Splash S&S, and Sprite.
2. Colorado Bulldog – This is a combination of Vodka, Kahlua, Coke, and Cream.
3. Washington Apple – This contains Crown Royal Apple, Cranberry Juice, and Sprite.
4. Jamaican 10 Speed – This is a mixture of Malibu Rum, Melon Liquor, Pineapple, and a Splash Cream.
5. Hurricane – This contains Rum, Captain Morgan, Orange Juice, Pineapple, and a Splash of Grenadine.

Remember to Have Fun!

Whether if you choose to explore the world of whiskey or choose another popular cocktail, you will enjoy the memories you will make with friends, families, and new friends you may meet at the bar. At Whiskey Baron Dance Hall & Saloon, we make it a point to have fun with big-name concerts, events, dancing lessons, themed party nights, exciting drink specials, and we can’t forget the delicious food we have on our menu. Come one, come all! Have some fun and try ordering one of those cocktails we talked about. You might just discover your new favorite drink. Cheers!