The Best Whiskey Cocktails for a Boozy Summer
Don’t put away your whiskey just because the weather gets warm
We love whiskey in all of its many different forms: bourbon, rye, Scotch, you name it. In cold weather, whiskeys provide warmth that is particularly satisfying in winter cocktails—stirred with other spirits or shaken with an autumnal cider. But come warmer days, whiskey can take on a different persona, fusing with the flavors of summer fruits like strawberry and rhubarb.
The Kentucky Buck is a cooling drink of ginger beer, bourbon, lemon juice, and strawberry, while the Whiskey Rock-a-Roller uses fresh raspberries, strawberry liqueur, and rhubarb bitters to simulate rhubarb pie in a glass. Bitter Campari is a refreshing Italian aperitif that we love to drink all summer. It's commonly mixed with gin and sweet vermouth to make a negroni, but swapping the gin for bourbon makes an equally delicious drink called a Boulevardier.
From refreshing sours to minty smashes, here are our favorite whiskey cocktails for summertime boozing.
If You Like Piña Colada
Leo Robitschek of Eleven Madison Park crafted this cocktail in honor of our 21st birthday, inspired by SAVEUR’s global influence. “While your average 21-year-old is spending their birthday getting a little too familiar with Jagermeister and Miller High-Life—not that there’s anything wrong with that—SAVEUR has already been around the world,” he says. “She’s sampled the best, and is hungry for more. Here, a perfect blend of some lesser-seen players: spicy rye, robust and savory-spiced velvet falernum, ancient and unapologetically vegetal green Chartreuse, and Linie aquavit, a spirit that, amazingly enough, has actually sailed around the world, aging in oak sherry casks to the rhythm of the rolling waves. Coconut, lime, and pineapple tie the package together; a somewhat more civilized yet totally delicious way to celebrate one’s twenty-first year.” Get the recipe for If You Like Piña Colada »
Floral Old Fashioned
Cameron Johnston of Gleneagles Hotel designed this drink for those who don’t usually go for a Scotch drink; chamomile syrup and Dalwhinnie 15 combine for a delicate cocktail with a still-smoky finish. Get the recipe for Floral Old Fashioned »
Kentucky Buck
“Bucks” are a family of drinks that consist of ginger beer plus a spirit and citrus—a category that includes this fruity refresher as well as the classic Moscow Mule. Get the recipe for Kentucky Buck »
The Kentucky Devil
Sweet watermelon juice tempers spicy adobo sauce and tart lemon juice in a bright, summery bourbon cocktail. Get the recipe for The Kentucky Devil »
Il Palio
Campari ice cubes morph this drink from a Manhattan into a Boulevardier as they slowly melt. Get the recipe for Il Palio »
Elderflower Old Fashioned
Elderflower liqueur replaces the traditional sugar cube in this floral twist on an old favorite. Get the recipe for Elderflower Old Fashioned >>
Scarlet Starlet
This fruity whiskey cocktail is served at Delmonico Steakhouse in the Venetian hotel in Las Vegas. Get the recipe for Scarlet Starlet »
Boulevardier Cocktail
In this negroni variation, gin is swapped out for bourbon. Get the recipe for Boulevardier Cocktail »
Whiskey Rock-A-Roller
Tobin Ellis created this drink based on a rhubarb pie for Lynyrd Skynyrd BBQ & Beer. Get the recipe for Whiskey Rock-A-Roller »
New York Cocktail
Sweet grenadine and tart lemon juice balance out the woody, honeyed notes of Rittenhouse Rye whiskey in this simple cocktail. Get the recipe for New York Cocktail »
Melisse Whiskey Sour
Made with Buffalo Trace bourbon and fresh lemon, the Melisse Whiskey Sour is delicate and floral, a perfect balance of tart and sweet, with subtle vanilla notes and a sumptuous, meringue-like pillow of foam on top. Get the recipe for Melisse Whiskey Sour »
Alexis' Bordeaux Sour
Inspired by a cocktail at New York’s Lafayette restaurant, this twist on a classic whiskey sour gets its fruity flavor and rosy color from muddled maraschino cherries and Lillet Rouge, the fruity red French apéritif wine enhanced with citrus and spices. Get the recipe for Alexis’ Bordeaux Sour »
Strawberry Moonshine Julep
In this take on the classic mint julep, moonshine replaces bourbon, and macerated strawberries add juicy sweetness. Get the recipe for Strawberry Moonshine Julep »
The Good Doctor
Classic Dr. Pepper is a sweet, effervescent complement to smoky rye whiskey. Get the recipe for The Good Doctor »
Thousand-Dollar Mint Julep
This version of the classic three-ingredient cocktail—which combines three parts bourbon to one part of a simple syrup bracingly infused with fresh spearmint—is sanctioned by the Kentucky Derby itself as their official mint julep recipe. Get the recipe for Thousand-Dollar Mint Julep »
Billionaire Cocktail
Developed by Dushan Zaric of NYC watering hole Employees Only and featuring absinthe, high-proof bourbon, and house-made pomegranate grenadine, the Billionaire is as rich as its name suggests. Get the recipe for Billionaire Cocktail »
White Whiskey Punch
Clear, unaged white whiskey stars in this potent, tropical-inspired punch. Get the recipe for White Whiskey Punch »
