• Recommendations for Best Whiskey To Mix With Coke

Whiskey and Coke

Whiskey and coke is one of the more common rail drinks you might order at a casual bar. It’s a great way to aid a mediocre, affordable bar whiskey down the hatch. A lot of bourbon purists would tell you never to mix bourbon and coke, but that’s not realistic. So how do you choose the right whiskey to stir into your liquor? Consider a couple things:

1. Cost

Don’t order an expensive whiskey to mix with coke. You’ll lose a lot of the important distinguishing characteristics of the whiskey when its stirred up in the sweet cola. All the benefits of well aged whiskey go away when you really start mixing, so don’t waste your money on the high end stuff.

Having said that, you may not want the “cheapest” whiskey, either. Something young may be super hot and heavy on the ethanol, and won’t be a pleasant drink to enjoy. If all you have is the cheap stuff, coke is a great way to neutralize some of the bad parts and help you get through a bottle, but don’t go shopping for the cheapest poor just because you want to mix it with coke.

If you’re ordering Whiskey and Coke at a bar, they may offer a “house whiskey”. This is the bar’s default, and it’s what they’ll give you if you don’t specify something else. Most nicer bars have a pretty decent rail whiskey at a good price, but it’s worth asking what they offer.

2. Proof

Another consideration when picking a whiskey to mix with Cola is the bottling proof. This one is a matter of preference, mostly, but it will make a difference in your rail cocktail. The sweetness of your cola will tone down some of the heat. If you like your whiskey and coke with more “whiskey” character, then set your sights on a higher-proof bourbon, maybe somewhere between 100 Proof and 110 Proof (50-55% ABV). Lower proof bourbons will make for an easier, sweeter pour.

3. Flavor

This may or may not matter to you, but different bourbons and whiskeys do have unique flavor profiles that will affect the flavor of your whiskey and coke cocktail. Ryes will be a bit spicier, while wheated bourbons will have some more sweetness to them. If you’re looking for that Cherry Coke flavor, leaning towards the latter may be a good option.

The Best Whiskey To Mix With Coke

If you want a great whiskey cola, a few options come to mind. “Jack and Coke” is the classic pairing of Jack Daniels and Coca-Cola. Other like to use Jim Beam as a bottom shelf mixer with their cola. If you want a different spin, Jameson Irish Whiskey is also a good bet. If you want to break away from those classic pairings, we tested out a few other options. Based on price, proof, and flavor, these are our picks for the best whiskey to mix with coke:

Old Forester 100 Proof is one of the better budget bourbons to begin with. At 100 Proof, it’s got a lot of bang for the buck and touts the already loved Old Forester flavor profile. Old Forester and Coke is great match.

Old Forester Bourbon 100 Proof

$40.99

Maker’s is a really winner in this pairing. Maker’s Mark and Coke works really well together thanks to the uniqueness of the Wheated Mash Bill the distillery employs. That flavor profile really brings out the cherry notes.

Maker’s Mark Bourbon
750ml

$29.99

Knob Creek Small Batch is another 100 Proof option that is great when paired with your favorite cola. A similar proof and price to the Old Forester, Knob Creek has that classic, trusted flavor, so Knob Creek and Coke is a great duo. This one will be a little sweeter.

Knob Creek Small Batch Bourbon
750ml

$39.99

Do you have a favorite whiskey or bourbon you like to mix with your coke? Prefer Pepsi? Let us know your methods in the comments!

The post The Best Whiskey to Mix With Coke appeared first on NC Whiskey.

The Kentucky Mule is a bourbon take on the classic Moscow Mule cocktail. It’s pretty easy: just substitute the vodka with your favorite bourbon. Well, maybe not your favorite bourbon, but your favorite affordable bourbon. Make sure you have a good copper mug on hand. Something from Kentucky, ideally. Here’s the easiest Kentucky Mule recipe you’ll find, and the most convenient way to get everything you need.

Kentucky Mule Ingredients

The Kentucky Mule is an essential spring and summer cocktail for bourbon enthusiasts. It ranks with the Mint Julep as a top contender for refreshing bourbon cocktail, as is ideal for southern front porches and Kentucky Derby parties. With just a few simple ingredients (and the right barware), you’ll have a perfect mule in a matter of minutes.

What type of bourbon is best for a Kentucky Mule?

Bourbon is the most important ingredient in this cocktail because it’s where the Kentucky part comes from. We recommend using classic Maker’s Mark in your mule. The distillery hails from Loretto, KY which means your cocktail will remain true to its name. MM is affordable enough to make it a reasonable cocktail bourbon — save the pricey stuff for your Glencairn glass. It also falls in the proof-sweet spot for a cocktail like this. Feel free to substitute for another favorite bourbon in that $20-$40 price range. In fact, you may enjoy experimenting with some bourbons of different price points to find the cocktail flavor most suited to your palate.

Ginger Beer is the next ingredient you’ll want to have on hand for a Kentucky Mule. You might have to settle for whatever brand your local grocery store carries, but we like Fever Tree Ginger Beer the best.

Finally, a perfect Kentucky Mule recipe completes itself with fresh lime juice. Grab yourself a lime and a simple citrus squeezer, and you can’t go wrong.

BroBasket Kentucky Mule Gift Basket

Want to do all your shopping in one place? BroBasket offers a Kentucky Mule gift set that comes with all the ingredients and includes a copper mule mug (the essential serving container for any mule). These make great gifts for anyone who loves a good Kentucky Mule, including yourself. It even includes the booze. If you want to do all your shopping at the same time, online, and have it all delivered to your door, I definitely recommend checking this deal out.

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Kentucky Mule Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 oz Maker’s Mark Bourbon
• 1/2 oz Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice
• Fever Tree Ginger Beer

Instructions

1. Add 2 oz of Maker’s Mark Kentucky Bourbon to a copper mule mug half filled with ice.
2. Top off with Fever Tree Ginger Beer.
3. Stir lightly (ginger beer will fizz) and serve

The Easiest Kentucky Mule Recipe

Recipe by ncwhiskeyCourse: DrinksCuisine: SouthernDifficulty: Easy

Servings

1

servings

Prep time

2

minutes

A simple, 3 ingredient cocktail perfect for warm summer nights in the south.

Ingredients

• 2 oz Maker’s Mark Bourbon

• 1/2 oz Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice

• Fever Tree Ginger Beer

Directions

• Add 2 oz of Maker’s Mark Kentucky Bourbon to a copper mule mug half filled with ice.
• Top off with Fever Tree Ginger Beer.
• Stir lightly (ginger beer will fizz) and serve
• OPTIONAL: Garnish with mint.

The post The Easiest Kentucky Mule Recipe And Equipment appeared first on NC Whiskey.

Manhattan Cocktail

The Manhattan is one of the most classic of boozy cocktails. The general belief is that it was made popular in the Manhattan Club in the 1870s by bartender Dr. Iain Marshall. The history around this is fuzzy, but it wouldn’t be the only time a cocktail was named after a popular club.

Manhattans are made with two parts bourbon or rye whiskey and sweetened with one part sweet vermouth. Add in a few dashes of bitters and (if you’re feeling fancy) a cherry garnish. The International Bartender’s Association (IBA) insists on the use of rye whiskey in their bartender competitions. The IBA also recommends specific ratios of whiskey to vermouth, but I believe these ratios should be experimented by the bartender to best meet their palate. The exact ratios would surely vary depending on the type, brand, and proof of the whiskey you’re using.

A final distinction that sets the Manhattan apart from the Old Fashioned is the glass in which it is served. Traditionally, Manhattans are served in Coupe Glasses.

Old Fashioned Cocktail

Old Fashioned cocktails are actually very similar to Manhattans. The only major difference in the two is the sweetening agent. Instead of vermouth, an Old Fashioned is sweetened with sugar. Typically Old Fashioned recipes will call for simple syrup or muddled sugar in the bottom of the glass. Otherwise, the same bourbon/rye debates swell. The ratios are generally the same.

Unlike the coupe glass that the Manhattan is served in, serve an Old Fashioned in a rocks or old fashioned glass.

Old Fashioned vs Manhattan

Ultimately, the single ingredient swap between a Manhattan vs Old Fashioned makes a world of difference. The vermouth makes the Manhattan a much more “boozy” cocktail. Old Fashioneds get watered down a bit and can be easier to swallow. You can also add orange bitters for some extra complexity.

Manhattan vs Old Fashioned Recipe

Recipe by ncwhiskey

For the head-to-head, we’ll use the same common ratios of ingredients, and make both cocktails with the same delicious and affordable rye whiskey.

Ingredients

• Manhattan

• 2oz Sazerac 6Y Rye Whiskey

• 1oz Sweet Vermouth

• 3 dashes Angosutra Bitters

• Old Fashioned

• 2oz Sazerac 6Y Rye Whiskey

• 1oz Simple Syrup

• 3 dashes Angosutra Bitters

Directions

• Combine ingredients into stirring glass
• Stir for 10-15 seconds
• Strain into chilled cocktail glass
• Garnish with maraschino cherry

The post Manhattan vs. Old Fashioned appeared first on NC Whiskey.

The Pegu Club

The Pegu Club was a bar and night club built in the 1880s to serve British soldiers stationed near Rangoon, Burma, now known as Yangon, Myanmar. England and Burma had multiple struggles throughout the 1800s, and Burma became a British Colony after the Anglo-Burma wars. British soldiers who were stationed in Rangoon were given the Pegu Club, which transformed over the decades with some the Western influence.

By the 1920s, The Pegu Club was still operating as a haven for British soldiers, but was also being inspired by the flapper generation. Many of your favorite classic cocktails come from this era. Burma (or Myanmar) is a hot and humid place, so the Pegu Club sought to create their own signature cocktail that would be refreshing and welcoming in the heat. Enter the Pegu Club Cocktail.

The cocktail is meant to be refreshing. A little citrus tang and dry gin pine, this cool drink is perfect for the subtropical climate of Myanmar. The ingredient list is simple enough that you probably have most, if not all, of the ingredients in your home bar. Consider it the gin alternative to a classic margarita.

Pegu Club Cocktail Recipe

Recipe by ncwhiskeyCourse: DrinksDifficulty: Easy

Servings

1

servings

Prep time

5

minutes

This is my favorite way to make a Pegu Club Cocktail. It’s wonderful citrus-gin alternative to a margarita. Perfectly refreshing for hot summer days.

Ingredients

• 50 mL Beefeater London Dry Gin

• 30 mL Cointreau

• 20 mL Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice

• 5 mL Simple Syrup
  

• 2 Dashes Orange Bitters

Directions

• Combine ingredients into stirring glass. Add Ice.
• Stir quickly until chilled and mixed.
• Strain into chilled coupe glass or cocktail glass.
• Enjoy.

Notes

• By all means, experiment with the ratios. A good home bartender will try out new things and find the perfect balance of ingredients.

The post Pegu Club Cocktail History and Recipe appeared first on NC Whiskey.

The short answer, of course, is yes, you can mix gin and coke. You can mix anything you want. And with the right palate, you might find that you enjoy drink a gin/coke mix. However, a real cocktail scientist might tell you the sweetness in the coke and the bitterness in the gin would be a little… much.

Of course, there’s always the Cubata.

The Right Way To Mix Gin And Coke

If you really want to mix gin & coke, you should consider going away from simple two-ingredient cocktails and learning some slightly more complex mixology. By filling our your cocktail with a liqueur like Fernet, you might find these ingredients a little more satisfying.

Additionally, if you have some extra spirits on hand at your home bar, consider using just a splash of gin to liven up other classic rail drinks. A growing trend in bartenders around the country is spiking a rum-and-coke with a bit of gin to create a classic Cuba Libre cocktail.

Choose The Right Gin

Aviation American Gin
Reserve Bar
US

$33

Yeah, we’re a whiskey blog, so choosing the right gin isn’t necessarily our strongest bar skill. Having said that, we can still walk you through some gin basics.

When shopping for gin, especially for use in cocktails, it’s important to know that not all gin is created equally. London Dry Gin, like Beefeater, is modern classic gin flavor – dry with often high notes of juniper berries. Think Christmas Trees. On the other end of the spectrum you have sweetened gins like Old Tom. Some of these gins are even aged in barrels. They have a much sweeter, stronger flavor profile than the piny London Drys. You can shop various gin options at ReserveBar.

Cubata Cocktail Recipe

Traditionally, Gin and Coke have been mixed as a cocktail called the Cubata. It’s a simple cocktail, usually served in a Collins Glass. Here’s a quick recipe:

Print

Ingredients

• 2oz Dry Gin

• 1/2oz Fresh lime juice

• Coke, or other cola

Print

Directions

• Shake Dry Gin and Lime Juice in a shaker with ice. Strain into a Collins glass filled with ice
• Top up with Coke (fill remainder of glass)
• Garnish with a lime wedge

The post Can You Mix Gin and Coke? appeared first on NC Whiskey.