Yes, You Can Mix Whisky: 3 Cocktails to Make at Home

At some point, whisky picked up a rule that says good bottles should never be mixed. Cocktail history says otherwise. Whisky has been at the centre of classic mixed drinks since the 1800s.

Here are three you can make in a home kitchen without specialist bar gear: an Old Fashioned, a Whisky Sour and a Highball.

Old Fashioned: keep the whisky in focus

Add 6 cl whisky to a low tumbler or rocks glass. Add one sugar cube or 1 teaspoon of sugar syrup and 2 drops of Angostura bitters.

Stir slowly with large ice cubes until cold, then finish with orange peel. Stir, don't shake. This is a clear, spirit-forward drink, so gentle dilution is the point.

Whisky Sour: bright, soft and easy to balance

Shake 6 cl whisky, 3 cl freshly squeezed lemon juice and 2 cl sugar syrup with ice.

If you want foam, add egg white or a foaming plant-based alternative. Strain over fresh ice into a rocks glass and garnish with a cherry or lemon.

Highball: the simplest of the three

The Highball is a staple of Japanese whisky culture for good reason. Fill a tall glass completely with ice, add 4 cl whisky and 12 cl cold soda water, then stir once.

That's it. The useful ratio is one part whisky to three parts soda.

Three rules that make a difference

1. Measure. Cocktail recipes are about proportion. A small change in citrus, sugar or spirit can move the whole drink.

2. Use enough ice. Large cubes melt more slowly and help keep the drink cold without watering it down too quickly.

3. A blend is a practical place to start. A straightforward blended whisky, such as Famous Grouse, works well across all three recipes because it is built for a consistent flavour profile.

Mixing whisky isn't a waste of whisky. It is simply another way of using it. Save the recipes for the weekend, and if you want to know what changes when you move from a blend to a single malt, read single malt vs blend.

Want to taste more whiskies before you decide what goes in your cabinet? You can do that at HDF Whiskey Edition, Vanha Ylioppilastalo, 9–10 October 2026.

HDF Media guide

Recipes at a glance

Old Fashioned
6 cl whisky · 1 sugar cube or 1 tsp sugar syrup · 2 drops Angostura bitters · stir with large ice cubes · rocks glass · garnish: orange peel

Whisky Sour
6 cl whisky · 3 cl fresh lemon juice · 2 cl sugar syrup · optional egg white or plant-based foam · shake and strain over ice · rocks glass · garnish: cherry or lemon

Highball
4 cl whisky · 12 cl soda water, a 1:3 ratio · tall glass filled with ice · garnish: lime or lemon wedge

Whisky used as an example for mixing
A straightforward blend, such as The Famous Grouse at Alko ↗︎

None of the product mentions in this article are paid.