Scots Coffee

7 Coffee and Whisky Drinks to Caffeinate Your Cocktail Hour

Coffee and whisky are a deliciously good match. The rich, deep notes of a quality blend taste incredible next to coffee, whether you take it black, milky or topped with cream. Packed with flavour, these two are pretty much made to be mixed.
 
So, smell the coffee: it’s time to take cocktail hour to a whole new level. 

Scots Coffee


We might be biased, but this espresso-whisky hybrid is as good as it gets. It’s got sweetness, spritz, a dark shot of rich coffee and a generous pour of whisky. What else do you actually need? 
 
Ingredients  


  • 50ml of Ballantine’s Finest 

  • 100ml of cream soda 

  • A single shot of espresso 


 
To whip one up, start by prepping your espresso and setting it aside to cool completely. Once chilled, fill a tall glass with your ice, pour in the whisky and cream soda, and top it off with the coffee. Give it a gentle stir, then take a bow and enjoy the praise.  

Cold Brew Kick

 
Think of this cold brew cocktail as the laid-back cousin of the Espresso Martini. One round of these and your mates will be turning up at yours every Friday night.
 
Mixing cold-brew coffee with an extra liquor kick, this drink is packed with flavour and perfect for a quick pre-party buzz.  

Cold Brew Kick

Coffee Old Fashioned 

 
The Old Fashioned is a drink that needs no introduction. Classic, simple and easily customised, it’s a recipe with endless possibilities. This time around we’re giving it a coffee twist by adding some cold brew to the traditional mix.
 
Ingredients 


  • 50ml Ballantine’s 7 American Barrel 

  • 1 Brown cane sugar cube 

  • 4 Dashes Angostura bitters 

  • Dash of espresso 


In a short glass, start by muddling a sugar cube and Angostura bitters into a paste before adding ice, Ballantine’s 7 American Barrel scotch and a dash of coffee for a caffeinated kick. Stunning!

Ballantine's Old Fashioned cocktail

Whisky Espresso Martini

 
The Espresso Martini is every coffee drinker’s go-to cocktail. But have you tried it with whisky? Swap out the usual vodka for Ballantine’s Finest to give the classic recipe an edge.
 
Ingredients


  • 45ml of Ballantine’s Finest

  • 20ml of Kahlúa Coffee Liqueur

  • 25ml of fresh espresso

  • 5ml of Sugar

  • Pinch of salt


Shake everything hard with ice until it’s completely chilled, then strain it into a coupe glass and garnish with a dusting of cacao powder.
 
If you want to go total wildcard, you can experiment with chocolate liqueur or even try a Parmesan Espresso Martini by grating hard cheese over the top to marry a sharp saltiness with the rich coffee. Go hard or go home, right?

Blood Shot Eye

The Blood Shot Eye is a seriously good drink that’ll keep the energy high whether you’re heading out-out, staying in, or somewhere in between.
 
Ingredients


  • 50ml Ballantine’s Finest

  • 50ml Cold brew coffee

  • 2 teaspoons of sugar


To mix this simple yet genius drink, add everything into a shaker filled with ice. Give it a hard shake, then strain and pour it into a rocks glass packed with fresh ice. Garnish with a fresh orange twist, and you’re good to go. It’s only two ingredients, but boy does it deliver.

blood shot eye

Cinnamon Whisky Iced Latte

Latte lovers, listen up. Make your favourite coffee cooler a cocktail-hour regular with this spiced drink that’s somehow both warming and refreshing.
 
Ingredients


  • 50ml of Ballantine’s Finest

  • 1 espresso shot or cold brew

  • 200ml milk


To make it, simply add everything into a glass filled with ice, then dust the top with a sprinkle of cinnamon. The result? An iced coffee, but a little cheekier.

 

Enjoy more ways to drink Ballantine’s with our collection of whisky cocktail recipes. You’ll find everything from classic whisky mixers to vanilla whisky drinks. What’ll you shake up next?