Cheers: How to Have a Perfect World Whiskey Day

This year marks the 10^th anniversary of World Whiskey Day, held on the third Saturday in May. This is a different celebration than International Whisky Day held every March 27th and National Bourbon Day celebrated every year on June 14^th.

You can enjoy great bourbon at Railbird Festival. If you aren’t able to make it to a bar this year to celebrate, here’s how to spend the perfect whiskey-filled day.

Celebrate World Whiskey Day at Home

Now before you scoff and think, “Oh, how sad. Drinking alone at home.” Who said anything about being alone?

Whether you’re gathering with family or friends to celebrate World Whiskey Day there are several benefits of drinking at home.

There’s never a line for the restroom. You don’t have to wait to use the toilet when you drink at home.

Right, ladies? You know exactly what I mean. What is it with bars only having 1 bathroom? Or bars with separate bathrooms for guys and girls but only one or two toilets?

There’s no danger of getting a DUI. You’re already at home so you don’t have to drive yourself home.

Drinking whiskey at home saves money. You get more pours buying a bottle at the liquor store than buying shots or cocktails at the bar.

And if you have young children, when you drink at home you don’t have to pay a babysitter.

The bar is always open. When you drink at home, you can start drinking as early or late as you want.

Drink Whiskey All Day on World Whiskey Day

I’m going to drink whiskey all day in celebration of #WorldWhiskyDay and listen to songs about whisky from The Doors, George Thorogood, Toby Keith, AC/DC, and Lynyrd Skynrd and you can too!

Despite the health benefits of whiskey this will be a single-day occurrence and not repeated on a daily basis.

Whiskey For Breakfast

Kick off the day with a Breakfast of Champions.

• 2 ounces Laws Whiskey House San Luis Valley Rye
• 1/2 ounce Avena Amaro
• 1/4 ounce Coffee syrup
• Garnish with orange peel

To make coffee syrup: boil 1/2 cup strong black coffee with 1/2 cup granulated sugar. Cool.

Mix in an ice filled mixing glass. Stir, strain into a martini or coup glass and garnish with an orange peel.

Whiskey With Lunch

Enjoy a South Broadway Jam with lunch.

• 1 1/2 ounces Laws Whiskey House Four Grain Bourbon
• 1/2 ounce fresh lemon
• 1/2 ounce simple syrup
• Bar spoon of apricot jam
• Garnish with thyme sprig

Mix with ice in a cocktail shaker. Shake, strain into crushed ice filled rocks glass and garnish with thyme.

Afternoon Pick Me Up

For that midday slump or to keep hydrated, try an Abasolo y Coco.

• 2 ounces Abasolo Ancestral Corn Whisky
• 5 ounces Coconut Water
• Garnish with orange wheels

Add to ice filled highball glass. Stir and garnish with orange wheels.

You can substitute thinly cut watermelon slices for the orange wheels. I added watermelon chunks and orange wheels and called it a Abasolo y Coco y Sandia and lots of ice. Next time I’ll cut back on the ice.

Dinner

Have an Old Fashioned with dinner. Or enjoy a Blackberry Smash.

• 3 ounces Knappogue Castle 14 year old Single Malt Irish Whiskey
• 8 to 12 fresh blackberries
• 1/2 ounce simple syrup
• 3 lime wedges
• 3 mint leaves

Muddle blackberries, lime wedges, mint, and simple syrup in a mixing glass. Add whiskey and ice and shake. Strain with Hawthrone strainer into an ice-filled rocks glass. Garnish with mint and blackberries.

Dessert

Boozy milkshakes are one of my favorite dessert cocktails. End World Whiskey Day with a malted bourbon milkshake.

• 2 ounces BLACKENED American Whiskey Batch 112
• 2 1/2 cups vanilla ice cream
• 1 ounce whole milk
• 2 tablespoons malted milk powder

Blend ingredients. Serve in chilled pint glass. Chilling the glass keeps the milkshake from melting fast because of the bourbon.

What whiskey are you drinking on World Whiskey Day?