RICHMOND, Va – Monday, March 27th is International Whisky Day. Kate Johnston from Virginia Distillery Company served up a few signature cocktails to celebrate the occasion. For more information you can visit https://www.vadistillery.com/
Classic Old Fashioned
1½ ounces Virginia Highland Malt Whisky
1 sugar cube or ¾ ounce simple syrup*
3 heavy dashes Luxardo cherry juice
1 Luxardo cherry
3 dashes citrus bitters
Orange peel to garnish
1. Add sugar cube or simple syrup, cherry juice and bitters to glass. 2. Add 1 cherry and muddle. 3. Add ice and whisky, and stir well. 4. Spray and garnish with orange peel.
*simple syrup: 1 cup water, 1 cup sugar. Heat water, add sugar and stir until sugar is dissolved. Let cool and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. Yields 1 cup
Signature Sour
Makes one cocktail.
• 1½ ounces Virginia Highland Malt Whisky
• 1½ ounce brown sugar cinnamon simple syrup*
• 1/2 ounce lemon juice
• 1/2 ounce lime juice
• 1 teaspoon Honey Simple Syrup**
• Virginia Signature Bitters
Combine ingredients in glass over ice. Stir thoroughly, top with 3 dashes of Virginia Signature Bitters. Garnish with a lemon peel twist.
*Brown sugar cinnamon simple syrup: combine 1 cup water, 1 cup light brown sugar and 2 cinnamon sticks in medium sauce pan over medium heat and stir until sugar is dissolved. Let cool before straining. Yields 1 cup.
**Honey simple syrup: combine 2 cups honey, 1 cup water; Heat until combined, not boiling. Remove from heat and cool slightly before straining into squeeze bottle. Yields 2 cups.
South of Manhattan
Makes one cocktail.
• 4 ounces Virginia Sparkling Cider
• 1/2 ounce Luxardo cherry juice
• 2 dashes cardamom bitters
• 1 1/2 ounces Virginia Highland Malt Whisky
• Orange Peel
• Luxardo cherry, for garnish
In a shaker, mix together cider, cherry juice and bitters. Add two ice cubes and the Virginia Highland Malt Whisky. Stir and strain into a coupe glass. Rub the rim of the coupe glass with the orange peel and then garnish with the Luxardo cherry and the orange peel.
