Close up shot of burning firewood in the fireplace.

There’s nothing quite like a dram of your favorite whisky when you’re snuggled up by the fire. While a neat pour can be great in a pinch, if you’re having a few folks over this winter or you just want to spice things up with a cocktail instead, there are several excellent whisky (and whisky) cocktails worth giving a try.

Winter whisky cocktails often feature dark fruit and spiced flavors, a contrast to the bright fruits you find in cocktails during warmer months.

The perfect way to warm up on a cool evening, most of these recipes are easy enough for a beginner to make on their own, while a few employ skills like making your own simple syrups, which are still fairly easy to do but might pose a bit more of a challenge.

Whether you’re celebrating with friends, or comfortably nestling in with an enticing novel, here are some delightful winter whisky cocktails to provide warmth during chilly winters.

Sherry Old Fashioned

Mix ingredients with ice in a rocks glass. Embellish with fig or orange peel.

*Fig Syrup: Put .25 cup sugar in a jar, pour ¼ cup hot water into the jar, and stir until completely dissolved. Include 10 sliced figs and stir. Steep for the entire night in the refrigerator. Discard figs and use for garnishing later.

Raspberry Wheat 75

Method: Combine all ingredients, top with sparkling rose and garnish with fresh raspberry

Apple Pie Martini

Ingredients:

Directions: In a Boston shaker filled with ice, add 2 oz Proper Irish Apple, 2 oz Irish Cream Liqueur, and a dash of cinnamon. Shake and strain into a martini glass rimmed with crushed graham cracker. Garnish with a dash of cinnamon.

Hibiscus Sour

Ingredients:

Flower Garnish

Method: Shake all ingredients together, add ice and shake it again. Strain into a coupe glass.

Glendalough Fall Apple Fizz

Ingredients:

Method: Add Glendalough Double Barrel Irish Whiskey to a cocktail shaker with the pear liqueur, lemon juice, honey syrup and ice. Shake well until chilled. Add fresh ice to a highball glass and strain over. Add a splash of hard apple cider and garnish with apple slices & freshly grated cinnamon.

Good Old Country Comforts

Ingredients:

Garnish:

Candied pecan

Instructions:

Add maple syrup to heavy cream in a small glass, whip with milk frother/whisk and set aside. Shake up everything else and fine strain into a straight sided coupe. Gently spoon the maple cream float over the cocktail.

A Misty Isle Sour

Ingredients:

Method: Half fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Pour in Isle of Skye 12-year-old, lemon juice simple syrup and separated egg white (optional) and shake vigorously for one minute. Strain into an old fashioned glass filled with fresh ice cubes.

To float the red wine, place a bar spoon over the surface of the drink and pour the wine onto the back of the spoon allowing it to roll off it and stay on top of the drink. This cocktail does not require a garnish but feel free to add.

Slane Irish Whiskey

Ingredients:

Garnish: Orange Dark Chocolate Shavings

Method:

Heat a 6oz Georgian glass with boiling water (for approximately 1 minute and then empty). Add 1 oz of Slane Irish Whiskey and demerara vanilla syrup to the heated glass. Add freshly made double espresso to the glass and top slightly with 1oz boiling water and stir. Use a bar spoon to gently float the heavy cream on the surface of the coffee. Grate dark orange chocolate onto cream float and serve with a dark chocolate piece

House-made Demerara Syrup:

Add desired amount of sugar to a heat resistant-dish and add an equal part of boiling water. Stir until all sugar has fully dissolved. Transfer the syrup to a glass bottle while liquid is still hot. Add a whole Madagascan vanilla pod to the mix and leave to sit for 48 Hours to infuse. Strain and refrigerate