Is whiskey good with apple cider? The answer is a resounding and emphatic yes! A whiskey and apple cider tastes just like fall and a super easy to make.

whiskey and apple cider on wooden table with ingredients in background

What is a whiskey and apple cider?

A whiskey and apple cider has the light refreshing fall flavor of apples combined with the warm oaky and caramel tones of whiskey. This simple two ingredient cocktail is so easy to make and just perfect for fall and winter time occasions.

Whiskey is a liquor that is made from fermented grains that are then distilled. Some of the common greens used are rye, wheat, barley or corn. It is then aged in barrels typically made from oak.

What type of whiskey to use?

There are several different types of whiskey available. And while you can use any type of whiskey in this drink here are a few of the best combinations.

Irish whiskey like Jameson’s. If you’re looking for a very smooth drink try out Irish whiskey such as Jameson’s with your apple cider. Irish whiskeys are triple distilled and go down extremely smoothly.
Tennessee whiskey like Jack Daniels. Jack Daniels and apple cider is a delicious combination. These sweet and nutty flavor of the Jack Daniels mixes well with the light fruit flavor of the cider. Some of the strong notes in Jack Daniels include caramel, vanilla and cloves.
Fireball which is a cinnamon whiskey is a fantastic combination with apple cider. A fireball and apple cider allows hot spice of the cinnamon to mix so well with the light apple flavor of the cider.
Bourbon also mixes exceptionally well with apple cider. Bourbon is a bit sweeter than other whiskeys like Tennessee whiskey. It also has strong notes of caramel and vanilla and is smooth.

What apple cider to use

Apple cider is very similar to apple juice. Apple cider tends to have a thicker consistency and a lighter flavor.

If you like apple juice better – try this whiskey and apple juice.

Most apple ciders are raw, unfiltered and unsweetened. Though some contain sweeteners, it’s best to choose ones without.

Some are on pasteurized and some are pasteurized there are pros and cons to both you can choose what you are most comfortable with.

You can either serve the apple cider warmed or cold. For cooler days and nights It is always nice to have a warmed drink.

When to serve this drink

This cocktail is the perfect combination of sweet and subtle flavors and works well at many different occasions. Try it out at one of the following times:

Halloween celebrations
Thanksgiving celebrations
Cool fall or winter nights
Winter holidays
Fall get togethers

How to make this drink:

All you need to do to whip this cocktail up is toss your two ingredients together and give them a shake or stir. No garnishes or glass rimming techniques needed for this one.

closeup of whiskey and apple cider on a wooden table

Equipment:

Ingredients:

2 oz Whiskey
4 oz Apple Cider
Cinnamon or Nutmeg or Apple Slice
Ice

whiskey and apple cider with ingredient bottles next to the rocks glass

Instructions:

Step one

As you get started make sure you have everything you need to mix this drink up. This should include your jigger, bar spoon, glass, whiskey and apple cider and ice. If you choose to use a garnish you’ll also want to gather that.

Note: this cocktail is served equally well in a highball or a low ball/rocks glass.

Pro tip: when it comes to mixing this drink you can do so either straighten your glass or in your cocktail shaker. Directions from mixing straighten the glass will be in the step-by-step instructions below.

If you choose to use a cocktail shaker instead, start by filling your shaker with ice. Then, add your whiskey and cider to your shaker and shake it up. Finally, use your Hawthorne strainer to pour your liquid from your shaker into your glass.

Step two

Go ahead and grab your glass and ice and fill the glass almost to the top with ice.

Step three

Grab your whiskey and jigger and use your jigger to measure 2 oz of whiskey. Then, pour your whiskey from your jigger over your ice in your glass.

Step four

Grab your apple cider and jigger and use your jigger to measure 4 oz of apple cider. Then pour your apple cider from your jigger into your glass with your whiskey and ice.

Pro tip: for two ingredients cocktails such as this the typical ratio is two to one. However, apple cider does have a pretty light flavor. Therefore, you may want to adjust the amounts if you prefer a less strong alcohol flavor.

To do this, either add an additional ounce or so of cider or only use one to one and a half ounces of whiskey.

Step Five

Finally, you need to get everything mixed together use your bar spoon to do this. Place the spoon in the glass and stir everything well.

Garnishes are optional for this drink. But if you choose to include one now would be the time to do so. A nice combination is to use a cinnamon stick. If you choose to do this you could even use a cinnamon stick to do your stirring instead of a bar spoon.

Recipe