Whiskey Shines in These Perfect Father's Day Cocktails

Matcha Highball — Photo:
Chelsea Kyle / Food Styling by Drew Aichele

If you're gifting the dad in your life a bottle of Scotch, bourbon, or rye this Father's Day, why not have some whiskey drink recipes in your back pocket to make the present extra special? From caffeinated coolers like the Matcha Whiskey Highball to the beloved Boulevardier and our maple take on an Old-Fashioned, these are the Father's Day cocktails to show Dad your appreciation.

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Irish Buck

If Dad's craving an easy drinker, this is the drink to make. Light yet oaky, Irish whiskey joins tart lemon juice, honey, and spicy ginger beer in this fizzy, refreshing Irish Buck cocktail. Topped off with a basil sprig, it's endlessly delicious.

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Dog Days of Summer Ale

This simple beer-based bourbon cocktail gets its eye-catching red color from cherry heering, also known as cherry liqueur or cherry cordial. We like making it with Sam Adams Summer Ale.

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Alpine Brew

Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Merlyn Miller

Delicious and highly caffeinated, the Alpine Brew is sure to keep Dad going through the celebration. Made with bourbon, coffee liqueur, and cold brew, it's a spirit-forward drink that can be enjoyed at any time of the day.

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Matcha Whiskey Highball

Just a quarter teaspoon of earthy, grassy matcha is combined with Japanese whiskey, honey syrup, lemon, and club soda for this festive, effervescent sipper.

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Smoky Fig Cocktail

The tart and fruity Smoky Fig gets its rich complexity from layering the flavors of oolong tea, kiwi, Scotch, and fig liqueur. The result is a stunning, unexpected cocktail that seamlessly blends sour with umami and sweet.

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Boulevardier

Dubbed the whiskey lover's Negroni, the Boulevardier comes together from just bourbon, Campari, and sweet vermouth, plus a twist of lemon for a straightforward cocktail Dad will appreciate.

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Bourbon-Tea Julep

Tannins from black tea add a beautiful hint of bitterness to this variation on a classic Mint Julep. The citrus oil, oleo saccharum, is made by steeping lemon peels in sugar. Its bright flavor is the perfect lift to finish each sip.

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Northern Standard

If Dad's a Manhattan fan, he's sure to love this drink made with three different bitter elements. Created by mixologist James Ives, this full-flavored cocktail uses rye aged in charred barrels to balance out the richness of Carpano vermouth for a sip that's equally strong and smooth.

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Maple Bourbon Smash

Maple syrup isn't just for pancakes! Here, richly flavored dark amber maple syrup combines with citrus juices and seltzer to make this lightened, Dad-approved riff on an Old-Fashioned cocktail.

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Tamarind Whiskey Sour

Tamarind imbues any dish with a telltale sharp, sweet, yet tart kick. It adds just the right amount of excitement to surprise even the most dedicated drinker of this classic cocktail.

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The Belmont

2017 F&W Best New Chef Angie Mar's famed restaurant The Beatrice Inn may (sadly) be no longer, but this herbaceous, citrus-forward whiskey cocktail remains absolutely worth making — we think Dad will agree.

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Bottled Manhattan

Pre-mixing batches of this rye-forward Manhattan in bottles and stashing them in a cooler allows you to separate chilling from dilution, resulting in a perfect drink every time. Plus, the recipe makes six cocktails at a time, so it's a great make-ahead option if you're entertaining for Father's Day.

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The Big Texan

This Paloma-adjacent drink uses fresh grapefruit juice, simple syrup, and fresh basil leaves to make a whiskey cocktail ideal for sipping outside on Father's Day.

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