American whiskey dominates the cocktail landscape throughout the fall and winter with variations on dark and brooding classics like the Old Fashioned and Manhattan. But why should it slip into the background in the warmer months, ceding the spotlight to lighter spirits like tequila and rum? With the addition of bubbles, tropical fruit, or citrus, you can enjoy American whiskey whatever the weather. I live in Southern California through consistently warm (and occasionally scorching) temperatures, so I can confirm that whiskey cocktails can be light and refreshing — especially with Uncle Nearest.
Uncle Nearest is the Most Awarded American Whiskey or Bourbon of 2019, 2020, and 2021. The brand is named for the first known African American master distiller: Nearest Green. Whisky Magazine’s American Icons of Whisky Awards named Nearest’s great-great-granddaughter Victoria Eady-Butler as Master Blender of the Year in both 2021 and 2022, the first person in history to take home that honor two years in a row. Led by Founder and CEO Fawn Weaver and CBO Katharine Jerkens, the all-female executive team of Uncle Nearest is changing the face of American whiskey while honoring the best whiskey maker the world never knew.
The following cocktails with Uncle Nearest are all original creations from my Instagram account @whiskeycarlson, which I feature alongside classic and modern recipes. Everything should be simple enough to make at home! As the temperature heats up, consider these refreshing whiskey drinks after you finish mowing the lawn or as you sit by the pool.
Nightswimming
Nightswimming borrows its name from a track on the R.E.M. album Automatic for the People and uses guava puree and sparkling water to create a drink that is both effervescent and tropical. Aperol and lemon provide balance with a touch of bitterness. It’s perfect for a night of swimming under the stars.
You’ll need to make a simple homemade syrup for this cocktail, but I promise it’s worth it. Add 2 cups of Goya guava paste (an entire 21 oz. tin) with 2 cups of water in a saucepan. Heat on low and stir to integrate. Strain into a sealable container and refrigerate.
1 ½ oz. Uncle Nearest 1884
1 oz. Coconut water
¾ oz. Guava puree syrup
½ oz. Aperol
½ oz. Lemon juice
2-3 oz. Sparkling water
Add the first five ingredients with ice. Give it a short shake and fine strain over cracked ice in a highball or Collins glass. Top with sparkling water, then garnish with a lemon wheel and serve with a straw.
The Lady Eve
The Lady Eve is a dry Manhattan with a touch of passionfruit that I named for the 1941 film starring Barbara Stanwyck and Henry Fonda. A classic screwball comedy set on an ocean liner, it tells the story of a con artist who falls in love with her mark not once, but twice.
Dry vermouth makes this much lighter than your usual Manhattan, and the passion fruit liqueur and orange bitters lend a tropical brightness. Stir up a few and pair them with a viewing of this often-overlooked classic comedy for an elegant and hilarious evening.
2 oz. Uncle Nearest 1884
¾ oz. Dolin Dry Vermouth
¼ oz. Giffard Passion Fruit Liqueur
2 dashes Hella Orange Bitters
Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with ice and stir. Strain into a coupe. Express an orange peel over the cocktail and place it in the glass as a garnish.
Berry Berry Kicks
Berry Berry Kicks is a whiskey sour with blackberry and hibiscus. Easy-drinking but bursting with complex flavors, you won’t regret shaking up one after you finish mowing the lawn. Make a few for a backyard gathering and you’ll soon be shaking another round.
The cocktail highlights Sorel, a hibiscus liqueur with notes of clove, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. The maple syrup adds a touch of sweetness to balance the lemon, and the muddled blackberries make this taste like summer in a glass.
2 oz. Uncle Nearest 1884
¾ oz. Sorel Hibiscus Liqueur
¾ oz. Lemon juice
¼ oz. Maple syrup
3-4 Blackberries
Muddle the blackberries into the maple syrup and Sorel. Add the lemon and whiskey, then shake with ice. Double strain over a few one-inch cubes. Garnish with blackberries and a lemon wheel.
Caliente Noir
Caliente Noir is a spicy variation on a Black Manhattan. If you’ve ever had a Margarita with jalapeños on a scorching afternoon, you know that pairing heat with more heat is a counterintuitive but incredibly satisfying, combination.
Averna lends the cocktail richness and Ancho Reyes provides the heat. Be sure to get the red bottle of Ancho Reyes. It’s richer and warmer than the green chile version, with notes of cinnamon and cocoa that really complement whiskey (if you’d like a spicier cocktail, by all means, add a little more). I use Bitter Truth Old Time Aromatic Bitters for its cardamom and clove flavors, but if you can’t find it, go ahead and substitute Angostura.
2 oz. Uncle Nearest 1856
¾ oz. Amaro Averna
1 dash Bitter Truth Old Time Aromatic Bitters
Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with ice. Stir, then strain over a large ice cube in a rocks glass. Garnish with a brandied cherry.
Whiskey Mango Foxtrot
Whiskey Mango Foxtrot is inspired by the street fruit vendors of Los Angeles, specifically the mango they sell with tajin seasoning. Looking for a whiskey-based Margarita? This is for you. If you’re in the military or a fan of the band Wilco, you might recognize the reference in the name: the NATO phonetic alphabet for WTF is whiskey tango foxtrot.
You might be surprised to see a hazy IPA as an ingredient in a cocktail. I use MadeWest from Ventura, California, for its notes of fresh peaches and mango, but feel free to find something local that tastes juicy and tropical. The beer gives the cocktail a substantial body as well as a layer of foam. The Ancho Reyes provides just the right amount of spice.
You’ll need to make a simple mango puree. Look for the Goya brand mango pulp in the freezer section of the grocery store. Let the mango pulp thaw, then add the entire 14 oz package to a saucepan on low heat. Add a cup of sugar and a ½ cup of water and stir until integrated. Strain into a sealable container and refrigerate.
2 oz. Uncle Nearest 1884
1 oz. Hazy IPA
1 oz. Lime juice
¾ oz. Mango puree
Prepare a Nick and Nora glass by wetting half the rim with a lime wedge, then dip the glass into a mix of Tajin seasoning and coarse salt. Add all ingredients (including the beer) to a shaker with ice. Shake hard. Double strain into the Nick and Nora glass.
If you don't have a Nick and Nora, feel free to use a coupe or rocks glass, but don’t pour this on ice as it will thin out the body of the cocktail almost immediately.
In Closing
With these recipes to try, don’t hesitate to reach for whiskey as the temperature rises! Pick up a bottle of Uncle Nearest and make yourself a refreshing summer cocktail. Enjoy your whiskey year-round — it’s not just for sweater weather; it’s perfectly refreshing even when wearing a swimsuit and flip-flops.
