Looking to learn how to make the best Cranberry Whiskey Sour recipe?

Our easy homemade Cranberry Whiskey Cocktail is a family favourite boozy drink to shake up during the holidays at Christmas parties.

This pucker inducing sweet meets tart cocktail recipe features premium whiskey, lemon and cranberry juice, ginger syrup and festive cranberry bitters.

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What Is A Cranberry Whiskey Sour?

The Whiskey Sour is a classic mixed drink containing whiskey, fresh lemon juice, sugar, and optionally, egg white, which gives the beverage a foamy and creamy top.

A Cranberry Whiskey Sour is a rift on the traditional craft cocktail infused with the flavour of our favourite festive fruit, cranberries.

In this easy whiskey sour recipe we flavour the drink with homemade sweetened cranberry cocktail juice and cranberry bitters.

Homemade Cranberry Whiskey Cocktail recipe ingredients.

Travel The World to Taste The Best Whiskey

There’s no better way to familiarize yourself with the best Cranberry and Whiskey recipe then by planning a vacation to visit the world’s best whiskey distilleries.

Some of the world’s most famous whiskey/whisky distilleries can be found in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The booming whiskey trend has also produced a high demand for premium whiskey produced by distilleries in Canada and America.

We’ve visited a handful of whiskey distilleries in Europe as well as a chic whiskey cocktail bar at Multnomah Whiskey Library in Portland and Stranahans in Denver.

In Scotland we enjoyed a scenic road trip to the Isle of Islay, which is best known for its famous Islay Scotch whisky distilleries. If you’re looking to experience the best things to do on the Isle of Islay visit award-winning distilleries like Bruichladdich, Laphroaig, Lagavulin, Ardbeg and Bowmore.

We also suggest sipping local Scottish whisky on the Isle of Skye, Glasgow, Edinburgh and The Highlands. One of our favourite things to do in Edinburgh is the The Scotch Whisky Experience.

Fly over to Ireland and you’ll find plenty of fine whiskey produced by famous distilleries like Jamesons and Bushmills. There’s no better way to educate yourself about Irish Whiskey then by taking a tour of Jameson Distillery near Cork and Bushmills along the Causeway Coast. They’re both worth a day trip from Dublin.

Looking to plan the ultimate road trip of Canada to discover the best Canadian whisky?

Our favourite Canadian whiskies include Lot 40 from Ontario, Masterson’s from Alberta, Caribou Crossing from Quebec, Goodridge & Williams from British Columbia and Glenora from Nova Scotia.

Shake Cranberry and Whiskey together in this delicious sour cocktail recipe.

Types of Whiskey

The wonderful world of whisky can be confusing for newbies as there is a lot more variety compared to vodka and gin.

Whisky is a type of distilled alcoholic beverage made from fermented grain mash or by distilling beer. Various grains are used for different varieties, including barley, corn, rye, and wheat. Whisky is typically aged in wooden casks, generally made of charred white oak.

The best way to familiarize yourself with whiskey and find a new favourite is by sipping as many varieties as you can. You’ll find single malt whiskies, blended whiskies, single pot still whiskey and and everything in between.

Our Cranberry Whiskey Cocktail recipe features premium whiskey and the flavour profile of the cocktail can be adjusted to suit your tastes based on whichever bottle you chose. Add a Bourbon to your cocktail shaker and you’ll enjoy a sweeter flavour. Or grab a bottle of Islay Scotch to experience peaty undertones.

Scotch: is made in Scotland with either malt or grain. The spirit must age in an oak barrel for at least three years. Many of the top Scotch bottles are revered for their peaty character. Popular Scotch brands include Johnnie Walker, Ballantine’s and Ardbeg.
Irish Whiskey: has a smoother flavor than other types of whiskey. It’s made from a mash of malt, can only be distilled using water and caramel coloring, and must be distilled in wooden casks for at least three years. Popular Irish whiskey brands include Jamesons, Bushmills and Green Spot.
Bourbon: An American-style whiskey, bourbon is made from corn. In fact, to be called bourbon whiskey, the spirit needs to be made from at least 51% corn, aged in a new oak barrel and produced in America. It has no minimum aging period and needs to be bottled at 80 proof or more. Popular Bourbon brands include Ezra Brooks, Wild Turkey and Maker’s Mark.
Canadian Whisky: must be barrel-aged for at least three years. It’s lighter and smoother than other types of whiskey because it contains a high percentage of corn. You will find that most Canadian whiskies are made from corn and rye, but can also include wheat and barley. Popular Canadian whisky brands include Canadian Club, JP Wiser’s and Wayne Gretzky Estates.

Garnish this easy Cranberry Whiskey Cocktail with a dehydrated citrus wheel.

Cranberry Whisky Sour Recipe Ingredients

Our Cranberry Whiskey recipe is made with quality ingredients:

Whiskey: we tested this recipe with Glenfiddich, Bushmills and Evan Williams.
Lemon Juice: always use fresh lemon juice instead of citrus concentrate as it is off putting and overly tart.
Cranberry Cocktail: use cranberry cocktail as it is a sweetened juice to help balance out the lemon.
Ginger Syrup: add a festive ginger flavoured syrup to sweeten the drink like Organic Ginger Syrup by The Ginger People.
Garnish: decorate the glass with a dehydrated citrus wheel or cocktail pick skewered with cranberries.

A Cranberry Whisky Sour is the perfect cocktail to serve at a festive Christmas party.

Whiskey and Cranberry Cocktail Recipe Tips

This Cranberry Whiskey Sour recipe is easy to make at home, ready to serve in under 10 minutes.

We love serving our Cranberry Whiskey Cocktail recipe during the holiday season but it can be enjoyed year round. This refreshingly tart whiskey cocktail is a crowd pleaser at Christmas parties and a festive brunch.

We’ve flavoured the drink with Cranberry Bitters but if you can’t find it at your local store feel free to substitute with Orange Bitters, Ginger Bitters or Angostura Bitters.

We suggest using Cranberry Cocktail Juice as it is sweetened. If you use traditional Cranberry Juice taste the drink before serving as you’ll likely want to add additional simple syrup or ginger syrup so it’s not too tart.

The recipe below serves one person. If you’re hosting a large gathering feel free to multiply the ingredients by the number of guests and muddle the drink in a punch bowl or jug. If you’re incorporating egg white you must mix the drink in a cocktail shaker as the vigorous shaking action creates the desired creamy foam.

Cranberry Whiskey Sour Cocktail Photo Image.

You May Also Enjoy These Whiskey Cocktails…

You can make this Whiskey and Cranberry drink with your favourite Bourbon or Scotch.

Best Bartender Tools & Cocktail Equipment

Before hosting a swanky Cranberry Sour party you’ll need to ensure you have the best bartender tools and cocktail equipment.

Cocktail Kit: cocktail kits are the perfect gift for newbie mixology fans as they include basic bartender tools like a jigger, shaker and spoon.
Cocktail Shaker: a bartender’s best friend. Purchase a premium cocktail shaker to muddle or shake up your favourite pink gin cocktails.
Cocktail Glassware: make sure your bar is stocked with a selection of unique glassware to show off your favourite cocktail creations.
Hawthorne Strainer: this unique strainer features tightly wound coils and perforated holes. It keeps ice and other large ingredients like lime wedges in your cocktail shaker rather than in the glass.
Bar Spoons: slender and long bar spoons are a must-have when stirring drinks.
Bottle Opener: easily open bottles of beer or cider with the flick of your wrist or purchase a corkscrew for fine wine.
Pouring Spout: once you’ve opened a new bottle of gin insert these affordable pourers to make cocktail assembly a breeze.
Cutting Board: purchase a petite cutting board for your bar to slice garnishes or citrus wedges like lime, orange, lemon or grapefruit.
Ice Bucket: chill bottles of gin quickly in an ice bucket or keep by the bar when muddling gin mixers into cool creations.
Ice Crusher: fans of the Mint Julep love an ice crusher.
Ice Cube Kit: we suggest purchasing a selection of ice cube trays. Silicone styles are our favourite as they’re easy to clean and are available in various shapes and sizes.
Jigger: use a jigger to accurately measure spirits, juices, syrups and shrubs.
Juicer: invest in an electronic juicer or buy an affordable hand-held to easily juice fresh citrus like lemons and limes.
Muddler: fans of the Mojito love a sturdy muddler to mix mint and lime. Muddler’s are handy for any cocktail featuring ingredients that need a pounding like fresh herbs or citrus wedges.
Citrus Peeler & Zester: adorn your craft cocktails with a thick citrus peel or finer ribbons of lime or lemon zest.
Rimmer: Bloody Mary and Caesar lovers should outfit their bar with a handy rimmer for salting and sugaring glassware.

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How To Make A Cranberry Whiskey Sour Cocktail

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