Spice Up Your Whisky Cocktails With Seasonings

Whisky and baking spices are a natural combination since flavors like cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice are innate in the spirit. But go another layer deeper (and farther back on your spice rack), and you’ll discover that turmeric, black pepper, cayenne, five-spice powder, and other less-used spices also lend warmth and complexity to the already-bold spirit, says Henry Dwyer, bar manager of Hutong New York.

Whether you’re looking for something smoky, sweet, silky smooth, or with a bit of bite, spices can elevate your whisky drink to the next level, adds Anne Hester, bar manager at Southernside Brewing Co. in Greenville, South Carolina. Spice things up with the recipes below.

Three Knuckle Formula

Created by Steveie Smith, operations manager, Devil May Care, Austin
“This Whiskey Sour riff packs a lot of complexity for having just four ingredients,” Smith says. “Earthy turmeric provides a counterfoil to the brighter, more aromatic flavors in the drink, leading the drinker to keep returning so they can further parse its layers of flavor.”

• 1½ oz. St. George Baller (or other fruit-forward American single malt)
• ½ oz. apricot liqueur
• ¾ oz. lemon juice
• ¾ oz. turmeric orgeat (recipe below)
• Candied apricots on a pick for garnish

Add all ingredients to a shaker tin with ice. Shake for 10 seconds. Strain into a coupe and garnish with candied apricots.

Turmeric Orgeat

• 8 oz. orgeat syrup
• 1 Tbsp. turmeric powder

Stir ingredients in a bowl until well mixed. Transfer back into the orgeat syrup container. Keep refrigerated for up to 60 days.

The Dancing Pig

Created by Michelle LaBorde, sommelier and lead bartender, Dancing Bear Appalachian Bistro, Townsend, Tennessee
“This cocktail delivers sweet and savory flavors perfect for whiskey lovers looking for something extra,” LaBorde says. “The smokiness of the bitters and the bacon syrup are a perfect match to the barrel aging of the bourbon.”

• 1½ oz. Buffalo Trace (or other bourbon)
• ¾ oz. bacon pepper brown sugar syrup (recipe below)
• ½ oz. sweet vermouth
• 1 dash Lucky Bastard bacon bitters
• 1 rolled candied bacon strip for garnish

Add all ingredients to a shaker tin with ice. Shake for 12 seconds. Strain into a rocks glass over a fresh cube and garnish with candied bacon.

Bacon Pepper Brown Sugar Syrup

• 1 cup coarsely chopped raw bacon
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp. fresh-ground black pepper
• 1 cup water

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan over high heat until lightly boiling. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Strain through cheesecloth into a sealable container. Keep refrigerated for up to 1 week.

Lucky Dragon

Created by Henry Dwyer, bar manager, Hutong New York, New York City
Smooth, smoky, rich, and elegant, this makes an impressive cocktail for hosting guests, Dwyer says.

• 1 oz. blended scotch
• ½ oz. Ancho Reyes verde chile poblano liqueur
• ½ oz. walnut liqueur
• 1 oz. sherry (preferably Amontillado)
• 1 dash five-spice tincture (recipe below)
• 1 dash Angostura bitters
• Lemon twist for garnish

Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with ice and stir 20 times. Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with lemon twist.

Five Spice Tincture

• 1 heaping Tbsp. five-spice powder
• 16 oz. Everclear

Combine five-spice powder and Everclear in a nonreactive container. Allow to sit for no more than 4 hours. Strain into an airtight container. Will keep indefinitely at room temperature.

Persephone’s Kiss

Created by Anne Hester, bar manager, Southernside Brewing Co., Greenville, South Carolina
“This cocktail has rich, fruity flavors with a ginger kick that highlights the subtle flavor of licorice and pairs beautifully with the whisky,” Hester says.

• 1½ oz. Jameson Black Barrel (or other Irish whiskey)
• 1 oz. pomegranate star anise syrup (recipe below)
• ½ oz. lime juice
• 2 dashes ginger bitters
• 2 oz. ginger beer
• Dehydrated lime wheel and star anise for garnish

Add whiskey, syrup, lime juice, and ginger bitters to a shaker tin. Fill with ice and shake hard for at least 10 seconds. Strain into an ice-filled Collins glass. Top with ginger beer, then garnish with dehydrated lime wheel and star anise.

Pomegranate Star Anise Syrup

• 2 tsp. crushed star anise
• 1½ cups sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup 100% pomegranate juice
• 1 cup fresh pomegranate seeds

Place star anise in a medium pot and warm over medium-low heat until fragrant, about 5 minutes, making sure it doesn’t burn. Meanwhile, combine sugar, water, and pomegranate juice in a bowl. Once the star anise is fragrant, add the mixture to the pot and simmer on low until the sugar is dissolved, about 3-5 minutes. Add pomegranate seeds and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool before straining into a sealable container. Keep refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.