Holiday Cocktails using Bowman Brothers Whiskey

The History Behind Your Favorite Holiday Cocktails

‘Tis the season for your favorite holiday cocktails! Whether you’re looking to impress your guests at a holiday party or are simply trying to stay warm this winter with a little bit of whiskey, knowing how to make a few delicious drinks is a recipe for a good time.

But what led libations, like whiskey and bourbon, to be used in classic cocktail creations? Just as A. Smith Bowman Distillery has a rich history dating back to the Prohibition era, some of the most famous holiday cocktails hold an equally rich backstory. We’ve pulled a few of our favorites to dish out all of the details about how they came to be and why they should belong on any bar’s menu.

The Manhattan

As a whiskey-lover’s choice for a classic cocktail, the Manhattan has an air of mystery surrounding its origin. It was once suggested that the original recipe was created by Dr. Iain Marshall in the early 1880s for a party hosted by Winston Churchill’s mother, Lady Randolph Churchill. The idea behind the drink’s name stemmed from the event being held in the Manhattan Club in New York, but this theory has since been debunked. In the 1923 book “Valentine’s Manual of New York” by Henry Collins Brown, it was said that William F. Mulhall, a bartender at New York’s Hoffman House, recounted that during the 1800s, a man named Black created the cocktail.

The Manhattan has been known for attracting a very sophisticated and secure kind of drinker – one who knows who they are and what they like in life. One of the most notable fans of the cocktail was none other than J. Pierpont Morgan. You know, the New York banker they based the Monopoly man after. It’s been said that he would order one at the end of every trading day, making him the perfect “Manhattan model” for other industry leaders to be inspired by.

There were two variations of the classic drink printed in 1884 that featured a variety of ingredients. But during the 1900s, the recipe changed to omit gum syrup and Absinthe, and Angostura bitters were favored over orange bitters. Many believe that rye whiskey was the traditional ingredient, but it’s not specified when bourbon whiskey became an ingredient of choice. Some choose bourbon as the base spirit because of its mellower taste with hints of sweetness.

If you want a taste of the timeless classic with a modern twist, try A. Smith Bowman Distillery’s Perfect Manhattan recipe featuring our award-winning Bowman Brothers Small Batch Virginia Straight Bourbon Whiskey.

The Manhattan Recipe

What You Need

How To Make It

  • Combine ingredients together in the mixing glass.
  • Add ice and stir using a long bar spoon (don’t shake).
  • Strain over a chilled cocktail glass.

Whiskey Sour

You can thank sailors for the citrusy sensation of a Whiskey Sour. This classic cocktail was first mentioned in “How to Mix Drinks: Or, the Bon-Vivant’s Companion” by Jerry Thomas in 1862, but had been a longtime favorite of seafarers since the 1700s.

Traveling by sea in the 1800s was no easy feat. Clean water was hard to come by on long sea voyages, so whiskey, rum, and other spirits became sailors’ drink of choice. This lemony libation rose to popularity because many sailors suffered from scurvy, a potentially fatal disease caused by a lack of vitamin C. There were large amounts of lemons, limes, and oranges onboard their ships, as well as alcohol that was kept at room temperature, such as whiskey and bourbon. Paired together, these ingredients perfectly combined citrus and whiskey to combat scurvy while quenching sailors’ thirsts — creating the Whiskey Sour.

Once word about Whiskey Sours hit the shore, bartenders began adding their creative touches; one was an egg white, which created the classic foam texture. The recipe remained simple — mixing liquor, lemon, and simple syrup as the three main ingredients.

While you might not have scurvy, get a sip of A. Smith Bowman Distillery’s Classic Whiskey Sour recipe for a bright, refreshing tang of lemon juice and warming floral of our award-winning Bowman Brothers Small Batch Virginia Straight Bourbon Whiskey.

Whiskey Sour Recipe

What You Need

How To Make It

  • Pour Bowman Brothers Small Batch Virginia Straight Bourbon Whiskey, lemon juice, and simple syrup into the cocktail shaker.
  • Add water and shake for 8 to 10 seconds to dilute and chill the mixture.
  • Add ice to a rocks glass and, using the cocktail strainer, pour the mixture in.
  • Pinch the rind of the lemon (shiny side) about a glass’s height over the glass to catch excess oils for scent. Twist the lemon rind and add as a garnish.

Whiskey Smash

Meet the Mint Julep’s cousin, the Whiskey Smash! Bartenders had been creating Juleps since the 1700s, and the citrus-based Whiskey Sour was ashore by the time the Whiskey Smash was popularized. The fruit-and-whiskey concoction made its debut in the 1887 edition of “How to Mix Drinks: Or, the Bon-Vivant’s Companion” by Jerry Thomas, in the form of a julep recipe. However in 1888, “Harry Johnson’s New And Improved Bartenders’ Manual: Or, How to Mix Drinks of the Present Style,” noted that the main ingredients needed to create the cocktail included a casual concoction of sugar, water, mint, small pieces of ice, whiskey, and whatever fruit was in season.

The Whiskey Smash was a signature cocktail creation of Dale DeGroff, also known as “King Cocktail.” He helped popularize and reintroduce the classic cocktail to modern drinkers at the Rainbow Room in New York City during the late 1980s and 1990s. His version included bourbon, muddled lemon wedges, and mint.

This open-ended cocktail is seasonally flexible and welcomes a variety of ingredients, so long as you don’t forget the crushed ice! It’s also important to note that the true magic of the Whiskey Smash is said to be in the muddling.

Fall in love with A. Smith Bowman’s Apple Cinnamon Whiskey Smash recipe featuring Bowman Brothers Small Batch Virginia Straight Bourbon Whiskey for a sweet, yet spiced sip that’ll leave your taste buds tingling.

Whiskey Smash Recipe

What You Need

  • 2 oz. Bowman Brothers Small Batch Virginia Straight Bourbon Whiskey
  • 1 oz. Cinnamon Simple Syrup
    • 1 Cup Water
    • 1 Cup Granulated Sugar
    • 3 Cinnamon Sticks
    • 2 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
      • Bring all ingredients to a boil in a small saucepan while stirring.
      • Reduce to low and simmer for 15 minutes.
      • Steep with the cinnamon sticks for 10 minutes off of the heat.
      • Remove cinnamon sticks and store in the fridge.
  • 1 oz. Apple Cider
  • Splash Lemon Juice
  • 3 Slices of Apple
  • 6 Mint Leaves
  • 1 Cup of Ice
  • Garnish: Cinnamon Stick, Mint Leaf

How To Make It

  • Pour Bowman Brothers Small Batch Virginia Straight Bourbon Whiskey, lemon juice, and simple syrup into the cocktail shaker.
  • Add water and shake for 8 to 10 seconds to dilute and chill the mixture.
  • Add ice to a rocks glass and, using the cocktail strainer, pour the mixture in.
  • Pinch the rind of the lemon (shiny side) about a glass’s height over the glass to catch excess oils for scent. Twist the lemon rind and add as a garnish.

Excited to explore our take on your favorite holiday cocktail recipes? Get everything you need to share what you’re sippin’ on with friends and family this season by visiting our online shop or our Gift Shop located at our Fredericksburg Distillery. Be sure to book a complimentary tour and tasting while the whole family is in town!