Turn up the heat with these spicy whisky cocktails

You can spice up a cocktail in many ways, be it with pepper, ginger or cinnamon. Muddle in fresh chilli, mix in dried powder, pour in syrup or garnish with a jalapeno. Depending on your heat preference, you can add go from a slight hint to a serious kick.

Cocktail hour just got spicy. From ginger warmers to refreshing chilli serves, we’ve created a shortlist of our favourite spicy whisky drinks.

Add spice the ginger way with this classic whisky mixer. It’s fiery, sweet, tangy and so refreshing you’ll drink it all summer long. And with just two ingredients, Whisky and Ginger Ale couldn’t be easier to make.
 
Want it even more refreshing? Add lime and mint to garnish and you’ve got yourself a Kentucky Mule. We make ours with Ballantine’s Finest, our best-selling, award-winning blended scotch whisky that’s stayed true to the original recipe since 1910.

Smoke meets spice in the Penicillin. A fiery modern-classic that’s a true drink of the people. Scotch, ginger and lemon create a Whisky Sour style base. Topped with a float of peaty Islay single malt for a big, smoky first sip.
 
Make it short, make it hot or make it a shot. However you mix up a Penicillin, do it with Ballantine’s 12 Year Old for light, creamy sweetness.

The Chilli Piña really lives up to its name. This is a Scotch and pineapple cocktail with a spicy kick. The fruity-fiery combo will make a statement at every cocktail hour.

Hot Honey hits different when it’s in a Scotch cocktail. A spicy twist on the classic Whisky Sour, this recipe might just be your favourite new party trick.

Take out the tomato to get a shorter, spicy drink that’ll bring the heat all year round. Our chilli whisky cocktail takes the Bloody Mary’s kick to a whole new level. It’s not one for the faint hearted.
 
Sriracha sauce and a chilli pepper garnish add the fire. With lime and coriander to keep things fresh. Add sweetness with agave nectar and smooth, scotch whisky. And serve with plenty of ice.
 
Ingredients:

• 50ml Ballantine’ 7 American Barrel


• 2tsp Sriracha sauce


• 25ml Lime Juice


• 15ml Agave Nectar


• 25ml Pineapple Juice


• 1/2 inch Chilli Pepper Top


• Handful of Ice Cubes


• A Handful of Coriander

• Add a Chilli to your shaker and press with a muddler to extract the spice and flavour


• Clap Coriander leaves in hand to release their fragrance. Add to shaker


• Add 2 teaspoons of Sriracha, 15ml Agave Nectar, 25ml Lime Juice, 25ml Pineapple Juice and 50ml Ballantine’s 7 American Barrel to the shaker


• Add ice to the shaker and shake to combine


• Fine strain, and pour over fresh ice in a Rocks Glass


• Use a fresh Chilli Pepper stem to garnish

There’s no rules when it comes to cocktail making. If you wanna use a whisky, use it. But if we’re choosing, then scotch is the way to go. The complex flavour profile of single malt scotch match the richness of a Bloody Mary mix. Sweet and spicy, fruity and acidic, smoky and fresh. It’s the perfect combo.
 
Ballantine’s 7 American Barrel Whisky replaces vodka to keep things smooth and sweet. Balancing out the spice and complementing the rich tomato freshness with a long, soft finish.
 
Ingredients:

• 50ml Ballantine’s 7 American Barrel Whisky


• 2tsp Sriracha sauce


• 50ml Tomato Juice


• 25ml Lemon Juice


• Salt & Pepper to Taste


• 3 dashes Worcestershire Sauce


• 1 Celery Stick


• Handful of Ice Cubes

• Fill your shaker with ice


• Add 50ml Ballantine’s 7 American Barrel to the shaker.


• Add 50ml of tomato juice to the shaker followed by 25ml Lemon Juice to the shaker and 2 teaspoons of Sriracha sauce to the shaker..


• Add 3 dashes of Worcestershire Sauce to the shaker. Then add salt & pepper to taste.


• Add ice to the shaker, close it and slowly shake for 1 minute.


• Strain into an iced highball glass.


• Garnish with a Celery Stick.