11 Best Whiskey Cocktails For The Holidays

When the festive season comes around again, you might start wondering about the best whiskey cocktails for the holidays. Perhaps the cocktails you've been enjoying throughout the summer just don't feel appropriate anymore. Or maybe you're looking for something particularly holiday-focused to enjoy as part of a celebration. Whatever the reason, it's time to start thinking about drinks that will warm your cockles or ones that have particularly seasonal flavors.

The brilliant thing about whiskey cocktails is that they're so broad. Some of them are best with bourbon or other American whiskey, while others use Scotch or Irish whiskey, or they're versatile enough to call for any bottle you have to hand. You can choose something over-the-top festive or a drink that evokes a wintry spirit but would be equally enjoyable beyond the holiday season.

If you feel like you're stuck in a rut with your holiday cocktails, we've got 11 great options for you to explore. Some are festive classics, while others are lesser-known or riff off old favorites. So, if you're looking to serve some of the merriest festive drinks, you're in the right place. These holiday whiskey cocktails will have you in the festive spirit before you even finish a glass.

A classic hot toddy is a warming choice for the holiday season. It's the perfect thing to serve to guests who have just come in from the cold, and it's not difficult to make, nor does it require you to have an extensive liquor collection. Whiskey and some other simple ingredients come together to make a winter warmer that feels almost good for you, but will also get you tipsy.

There are various ways to make a hot toddy. Some call for Scotch, others for bourbon. Often people use festive spices, such as cloves, cinnamon, and star anise. Cayenne pepper or other hot spices are a fairly common addition, although this isn't traditional. What everyone can agree on is that, alongside the alcohol, they should contain freshly squeezed lemon juice, honey syrup (or some other kind of sweetener), hot water, and something spiced.

Many people infuse whole spices, such as cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, or star anise pods. However, you could also use a spiced alcohol, such as pimento dram, which is flavored with allspice. Whatever specifics you go for, it's a holiday classic. It might not be the most elegant drink or something elaborate that goes with a fancy dinner. But if you're coming in from a snowy walk or you want an alternative to coffee or tea after a meal, it might be time to crack out a hot toddy.

There are few drinks that are so intrinsically tied to the holidays as eggnog. Nobody's going around making a batch in May. It's a festive drink, through and through. And although its basic form is alcohol-free, people often add booze, so it's simple to turn into a holiday whiskey cocktail. You may already have your own go-to eggnog recipe that's ready to be spiked with bourbon.

If you want to keep things extremely simple, you can use store-bought eggnog. Add a 2-ounce shot of bourbon to each 5-ounce serving of eggnog, then garnish it with some grated nutmeg. Adding a small amount of maple syrup can bring even more of a festive twist to the drink.

However, if you really want to blow people away with your 'nog, you need to make it from scratch. Effectively, eggnog is a thin, drinkable custard. To make it, you start with eggs, whisking egg yolks and sugar with milk, cream, and spices, and heating the whole lot until it thickens. You can then add an appropriate amount of bourbon to the whole batch, or add the liquor just before drinking in case you want to keep some alcohol-free for kids or designated drivers at your holiday soiree.

Hot buttered whiskey might sound like something out of a cozy fantasy novel, but it is very real. And a perfect whiskey cocktail for the holidays. Like a hot toddy, it's a great warm drink for a cold day, but it feels a bit richer and more decadent thanks to the butter.

A hot buttered whiskey starts with a butter mixture. This is a combination of butter, sugar, and spices. The butter should be unsalted, and brown sugar is usually the go-to for its deeper flavor. Mixed with the butter are sweet spices. It may be a combination, such as cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice, or you might use just one spice, cinnamon being a classic option. These spices are what make it particularly festive.

Once you've made the compound butter, you can use it right away or store it in the fridge for future drinks. To make a hot buttered whiskey, take a spoonful of butter and mix it with a shot of whiskey and some hot water, which melts the butter and infuses it through the cocktail. You can add a cinnamon stick to serve to make things extra festive. The good thing about this drink is that it's versatile enough to make with any whiskey. Bourbon brings sweeter notes, rye brings a spicier edge, and Scotch can deliver a smoky or peaty complexity. Try out a few whiskey options and see what you like best, or use whatever you have in your liquor cabinet.

A classic whiskey sour combines lemon juice, sugar or simple syrup, whiskey, and, optionally, egg whites (or aquafaba as an egg-free alternative) to create a foam. Delicious, yes, but not exactly festive. However, if you're looking for a whiskey cocktail that's more holiday-appropriate, a cranberry whiskey sour is a brilliant twist, evoking the cranberry sauce often found on Thanksgiving or Christmas tables.

A cranberry version includes cranberry juice in addition to the other ingredients or cranberry simple syrup in place of plain syrup or sugar. The slight tartness of the cranberry juice or syrup works well here. You get that festive cranberry flavor without making the cocktail overly sweet, which would be the entirely wrong direction for a sour.

You can use your choice of whiskey here. Bourbon, rye, and Irish whiskey all work particularly well. However, Scotch can work too, as long as it isn't too peaty, since that earthiness is at odds with the rest of the flavor profile. It's a brilliant holiday cocktail as it gives a nod to the festive season without being gimmicky. If you enjoy whiskey sours in general, a cranberry version is going to go down a treat.

If you're looking for something classic with a holiday twist, consider a maple old fashioned. It's a slightly different take on a long-time favorite that's different enough to feel celebratory but doesn't mess with things too much. A classic old fashioned is one of the oldest cocktails there is, combining sugar, water, bitters, and bourbon, with a twist of orange. This version doesn't try to reinvent things, but adds just enough to make it notably different.

A maple old fashioned isn't too far off the original version. Instead of using sugar that's muddled until dissolved, maple syrup takes its place, and orange bitters are called for. This combination of maple and orange has a festive feel to it without being too in-your-face. In terms of whiskey, either bourbon or a blend of bourbon and rye is best here. The sweetness of the bourbon is pleasant in a drink that's basically straight whiskey with a little something sweet, but rye can be nice for a more balanced drink.

This is certainly a grown-up, boozy cocktail, so it isn't for everyone. But if you're making drinks for a crowd that's more likely to drink an alcohol-forward cocktail like a Manhattan or Negroni over a daiquiri or mojito, this will go down nicely. When you're planning a sophisticated holiday party, consider putting this on the drinks menu.

Gingerbread is one of the most festive cookies out there, so getting that flavor profile into a cocktail is ideal for the holidays. However, it would be easy to go overboard and create something sickly sweet. That's why a gingerbread Manhattan is such a good call. A Manhattan is usually a not-too-sweet cocktail that's heavy on the spirits and light on the mixers, so it can take some extra sweetness without going over the top.

You can make this drink in a range of different ways. There isn't necessarily one set recipe. Although rye is classic for a Manhattan, bourbon is the whiskey of choice for this, which makes sense as it brings some extra gingerbread sweetness along with notes of vanilla and spice. Some recipes keep the vermouth, while others opt for amaro, which can bring sweet, spicy notes, depending on the type used.

The ginger flavor can either come from gingerbread bitters or ginger syrup. There are recipes that use homemade ginger syrups and spices often found in gingerbread, such as cinnamon and allspice. Bring all this together, and you have something that has the booziness of a classic Manhattan, with a gingerbread twist. It's still simple and elegant, but very much holiday-appropriate.

There's no shortage of old fashioned recipes out in the world, but some are more holiday focused than others. If you're looking for something a little bit different, while still keeping things classic, an Alpine old fashioned might be the way to go. When you imagine a classic wintry holiday scene, there are probably snow-covered pine trees somewhere in there, and those are the vibes you get from this drink.

An Alpine old fashioned has rye as the base, which adds a nice kick to it. But what turns it into an Alpine version is the addition of pine liqueur and Génépy le Chamois liqueur, which is a kind of herbal vermouth-like drink from the Alps, bringing with it green vegetal notes.

This is the perfect choice for anyone searching for a holiday cocktail that isn't too obvious. While spices like cinnamon and flavors like orange and ginger have big holiday energy, it's not what you want every time. This is a whole different beast and makes you feel like you're holidaying in an Alpine ski lodge rather than feeling as though you've hyped yourself up on too much sugar.

Sometimes the best holiday drinks are the simplest ones, and the whiskey mac is a perfect example. It has just two ingredients: whiskey and ginger wine. There's no complicated technique and nothing to prepare in advance, which makes it ideal when you've got a house full of guests and don't want to be stuck on bartending duty all evening. Ginger wine is sweet and spicy. Blended with whiskey, you get a warming drink with a gentle ginger kick that suits cold weather beautifully.

The classic version uses equal parts whiskey and ginger wine, but some people prefer a little more whiskey, which lets the spirit have its day in the sun. If you've got a sweet tooth, you can go the other way and add extra ginger wine. Blended Scotch is a great choice here, since you don't necessarily want to use the top-shelf stuff for a cocktail. That said, bourbon and single malt can also work, so use what you have to hand. There's also a hot variation, so if you want something for a cold night, you can always add in some hot water for a nice alternative to a hot toddy. It isn't the flashiest drink, but it has some rustic charm.

Apple cider has total fall and winter vibes, so it's no surprise that it works so well in a holiday cocktail. An apple cider whiskey smash gives apple cider a boozy upgrade, and we're here for it. This cocktail is particularly great for Thanksgiving, but you can make it work for the whole holiday season.

It's a straightforward drink. You make it by shaking apple cider, whiskey, and lemon juice with ice, then pouring the mix into a glass over fresh ice. The lemon is important here, as it cuts through the sweetness of the cider and keeps the drink from tasting over the top. For extra fall flavor, you can add a pinch of pumpkin pie spice and a cinnamon stick as a holiday-friendly garnish.

Rye is a good choice for the whiskey, and bourbon works too. Rye brings a spicier edge, while bourbon adds a sweetness that suits the apple. If you want to make it extra special, consider making your own apple cider from scratch. Once you learn the best apple varieties for making cider, you'll be well on your way to an unforgettable drink. Still, there's nothing wrong with picking up cider from the store. Or, better yet, your local apple orchard.

A weathered axe is one of those forgotten whiskey cocktails that you don't see around very often. But all the more reason to serve one at your festive shindig, as it will be a surprising choice. The beauty of it is that it doesn't scream "holidays" in your face, but it has the right flavor profile to work as a seasonal cocktail.

While there are variations between recipes, what all weathered axes have in common is that they mix whiskey with ginger syrup, lemon juice, and triple sec. The combination of ginger and orange is extremely seasonal, making it a great choice for any holiday occasions that call for cocktails. Some recipes include a fortified wine called quinquina. Others rely on vermouth, but all are shaken and served over ice.

You can use your whiskey of choice for a weathered axe. Bourbon is a classic choice with a nice amount of sweetness to balance against the tart lemon juice. However, Scotch, Irish whiskey, and rye all work nicely here. It's got a lot going on, so you don't want to choose an expensive bottle that will be watered down by the other ingredients, but you can be flexible with what variety you choose.

The old fashioned shows up again and again on any list of whiskey cocktails. It's a classic choice that's perfect for serious whiskey drinkers who don't want too many ingredients diluting their spirit of choice, but you can absolutely take that and make it seasonal, as this winter old fashioned proves.

While a traditional old fashioned is just whiskey, bitters, sugar, and water from stirring with ice, this version brings a simple wintry twist. This one forgoes the sugar and instead uses Allspice dram liqueur. This is made with allspice berries — the same allspice that goes into festive baked goods — which brings sweet, spicy notes to the drink. As with many liqueurs, it is sweet, which is why it can take the place of the sugar. As this old fashioned uses bourbon instead of rye, it also adds to the sweetness of the drink.

This is a subtle holiday drink that's perfect for people who love their cocktails boozy. There isn't a candy cane or cinnamon stick poking out of it. Rather, it approaches the holidays in an understated way, and we appreciate that.