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Father’s Day Tangy Whiskey Smash | First Choice Liquor Market
With Father’s Day just around the corner, it’s time to treat the father figure in your life with a tangy and elegant Whiskey Smash cocktail — courtesy of Jarrod the @diycocktailguy.
Treat your Dad to a Whiskey Smash this Father’s Day
First came the Mint Julep. Then came the Whiskey Sour. Before both made way for the citrus Whiskey Smash to enter the bar scene.
Packed full of Southern charm — Kentucky bourbon whiskey, tangy lemon and fresh mint — the Whiskey Smash is the perfect, refreshing cocktail to whip up for your dads, step-dads or father figures this Father’s Day.
While other classic whiskey cocktails can leave you with a smokey or heavy taste, the strong citrus and mint notes in a Whiskey Smash make it a cult favourite amongst all whiskey drinkers — lovers and novices alike.
“It’s something a little bit different, something a little bit elegant for your father or father figure. “It looks good, it tastes even better, and it’s got that elegant touch with the Woodford Reserve Kentucky Double Straight Bourbon Whiskey. So, let’s go!” Jarrod the @diycocktailguy says.
As an easy, muddled cocktail that everyone can make at home — your Dad will be re-creating this Whisky Smash recipe in no time at all!
What is a good whiskey base for a cocktail?
For a long time, the old-school way of thinking (and drinking) amongst whiskey aficionados had us believing that good whiskey must only be sipped neat, with a dash of water if absolutely necessary. ‘Good’ whiskey wasn’t to be shaken up in a cocktail or poured over ice with a mixer — until now, that is. The consensus over the last few years has shifted, with drinkers encouraged to embrace personal preference and enjoy whiskey just how they like it. Stir a top shelf bottle into your Manhattan, make the most of the affordably priced all rounder you have lying around or add a delicious depth of flavour with an award-winning small batch — the choice is yours!
But remember, as the old saying goes, the best ingredients yield the best results. And the award-winning, small batch Woodford Reserve Kentucky Double Straight Bourbon Whiskey fits the bill!
Everything you need to make the Whiskey Smash
Ingredients:
(Serves 1)
45mL of Woodford Reserve Kentucky Double Straight Bourbon Whiskey
30mL of Monin Agave Syrup
Fresh lemon juice
Mint sprigs
Dehydrated lemon wheel to garnish
How to make your Whisky Smash cocktail at home
Method:
- Add 2 sprigs of fresh mint to the bottom of your shaker along with some freshly sliced lemon wedges.
- Start muddling the mint and lemon together until the mixture is well muddled. The aim is to not only release the lemon juice, but the oil in the lemon peel for greater depth of flavour. “Plus, you really want to activate the mint here as well — it makes it so much better,” Jarrod adds.
- Add a couple of cubes of ice into your shaker along with 45mL of Woodford Reserve Kentucky Double Straight Bourbon Whiskey and 30mL of fresh lemon juice. “You’ve already got some lemon in there, but you really want to get that tangy citrus flavour right,” Jarrod says.
- Pour 30mL of the Monin Agave Syrup to balance against the citrus with a touch of sweetness.
- Shake away and then strain over a glass with fresh ice. The final colour of the cocktail should show a juicy golden hue.
- Lastly, garnish with a fresh sprig of mint and a dehydrated lemon wheel.
Why is Kentucky known for its bourbon?
Along with its iconic exports of fried chicken and Bluegrass, Kentucky is heralded as the bourbon capital of the world — and rightly so. Although not all bourbon comes from Kentucky (bourbon can technically be made from anywhere in America) a whopping 95 per cent of it comes from the southern state. This isn’t a coincidence, either. Unique weather, geography and history all combine to produce the perfect growing conditions.
First up, bourbon needs to be made up of at least 51 percent corn. Fertile soil and hot summers are needed for growing corn and Kentucky ticks both of these boxes. The southern state experiences weather in all of its extremes. These drastic changes in temperature cause the wooden whiskey barrels to expand and contract as they age. When they expand, the whiskey seeps in, absorbing the notes of the charred wood.
Last but not least, when immigrants from Ireland and Scotland flocked to the states of Kentucky and Tennessee to outrun the whiskey tax, they brought with them their centuries of distilling knowledge and expertise.
Get up to speed with our easy cheat sheet to American whiskey or pick up a bottle of the aromatic Woodford Reserve Kentucky Double Straight Bourbon Whiskey for a special gesture this Father’s Day.
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