Distilled: Standout Ready-to-Drink Cocktails

Plus: Gail Simmons’s holiday spritz; chocolate bourbon pecan tart

The stockings are hung, the tree lit, and by now you’ve probably stocked up on a couple of solid bottles for your holiday merrymaking. But just in case you need to call in any reinforcements, check out the “workhorse” bourbons Kentucky bartenders reach for, and contributor Tom Wilmes bellied up to the ready-to-drink-cocktail shelves at his local big-box store to try out a range of the varieties now being offered by whiskey brands (from peanut butter whiskey eggnog to a barreled Manhattan). I’ll just let the name of the chocolate bourbon pecan tart from chef Patrick O’Connell, of the Inn at Little Washington, speak for itself (yep, all three of those), and Gail Simmons, of Top Chef fame, shares a festive twist on the spritz.

We’re looking forward to sharing lots more bourbon with you in the New Year. Our next Distilled will return January 9. Until then, we hope you have a joyful holiday season.

Six options that bring some real flavor to the party.

Bluegrass State pros pick their top workhorse bottles that offer value and versatility.

Fans of food TV know Gail Simmons as a longtime judge on the series Top Chef. More recently, the cookbook author and television personality has taken on the role of Old Fitzgerald Bourbon’s hospitality concierge, bringing her recipes and tips for entertaining to the table with signature flair. Her latest creation is the Old Brooklyn Spritz, a bright, holiday-inspired twist on the classic cocktail.

“Spritzes are traditionally made for summer, but this one has a little more weight to it. I wanted it to feel seasonal and a bit elevated, which was where the blood orange comes in. It has this beautiful, round, fragrant quality that really complements the bourbon and feels special for the holidays. This drink is also great for anyone who’s a bit bourbon-curious. It feels festive, is easy to batch, and is easy to make at home.”

Old Brooklyn Spritz
1 oz. Old Fitzgerald 7-Year-Old bourbon
1½ oz. freshly squeezed blood orange juice (Simmons recommends straining to reduce pulp)
1 tsp. simple syrup
2 to 3 oz. champagne or prosecco
Thin blood orange slice or blood orange twist, for garnish

In a cocktail shaker, combine bourbon, blood orange juice, and simple syrup. Meanwhile, chill a cocktail coupe, or fill it with ice and a splash of water to cool. Fill the shaker with ice cubes and shake vigorously until well chilled, about 30 seconds. Empty the coupe and pat it dry. Strain the mixture into the coupe and top with champagne or prosecco. Garnish with a thin blood orange slice or twist.

To batch: Combine the bourbon, blood orange, and simple syrup (keeping the same ratio as the above recipe) and refrigerate. To serve, pour into chilled coupes or champagne glasses and top with sparkling wine.

—Tom Wilmes, G&G contributor

The Inn at Little Washington shares the recipe for a signature holiday dessert.

Heaven Hill Distillery releases the latest edition of its Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond Decanter Series, arriving each spring and fall, blended from eleven-year-old barrels.

Platinum-selling country music artist Riley Green teams with the Memphis-based spirits company Morningside Brands to launch Duck Club Bourbon, available in a 92-proof four-grain blend and a 110-proof “High Brass” variety.

Looking to top off your gift list? Tickets are available for several upcoming events throughout the South that bourbon lovers will appreciate:

SETX Whiskey Festival, Texas’s largest whiskey event, returns January 10 to the Beaumont Civic Center. The festival features more than four hundred expressions from around the world and benefits Cure Rare Disease.

BourbonCon, a two-day gathering packed with tastings, bottle sales, and learning sessions, is set for January 16–17 in Lexington, Kentucky.

Whiskey Riot brings its tasting series to the Tampa–St. Petersburg area February 7, where attendees can sample from among more than two hundred offerings.

Louisville’s Bourbon Classic, February 25–28, includes lead-up events like Top Shelf, featuring pours from the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, and a dinner at the James B. Beam Distilling Co.’s restaurant, the Kitchen Table, with pairings from the distillery’s portfolio.