As a busy mom of three (not to mention #newbornlife), I didn’t have a ton of time to get out of the house to shop, or the mental bandwidth to come up with something creative for my husband this Father’s Day. But, I do know my husband loves his bourbon, so I got him a bottle of his FAVORITE – Angel’s Envy – and dressed it up in one of Nico’s shirts and a bow tie. It looks like I actually put time and thought into it! Haha! I got the idea from this Pinterest post about wrapping a bottle with a shirt sleeve and old tie (but again, #newbornlife so I didn’t have time to make anything).
To help you whip up something tasty and easy this Father’s Day, here are some fun recipes that’ll please any papa’s palate. Enjoy! And Happy Father’s Day to all you fathers and father figures out there!
Man-Fashioned by Becca Pesce, NYC Whiskey Guardian – by Becca Pesce, NYC Whiskey Guardian
This particular cocktail was inspired by the idea of combining the flavors of a Manhattan and an Old Fashioned into a hybrid—because of my Dad’s preferences. The Old Fashioned is his favorite way to enjoy Angel’s Envy, but he still always asks me to ‘finish’ his drink with an extra cherry or two.
Ingredients:
- 2 parts Angel’s Envy Kentucky Straight Bourbon Finished in Port Wine Barrels
- ½ part Grand Marnier
- ½ part Amaro Montenegró
- 1 tsp brandied cherry juice (or Bada Bing cherry juice)
- 3 dashes of Angostura Bitters
Instructions: Combine all ingredients in a yarai. Stir thoroughly, and strain over a large cube. Garnish with an orange peel and a brandied (or Bada Bing) cherry—or a couple of extra cherries, based on Dad’s preference.
Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree – by Andy Borbely, New Orleans Lead Whiskey Guardian
My Father’s Day cocktail was inspired by three generations of my family: my grandfather, my father and me. When my grandfather served in World War II, he and his fellow soldiers were part of the liberation of southern France. During their march through the region, American soldiers were often met by overjoyed Frenchmen who would pass them glasses of water for their long march. Sometimes, though, these celebratory souls would hand over glasses of calvados apple brandy instead, and soldiers would knock back an entire glass “not knowing” what they had been given. My cocktail is rinsed with the essence of this apple spirit to impart just a hint of my grandfather’s lasting influence. The Angel’s Envy is, of course, a product of a father and son collaboration, but so is the green apple shrub I use in this cocktail. My childhood home had an apple tree out front that I could climb as a kid, so I wanted to mingle the roots of my childhood with the city I chose as an adult. By combining the apple and the Louisiana sugarcane in my shrub, I intended to link the deep roots my father established for me back home to the city of New Orleans, where I reside today with great love.
Ingredients:
- 2 parts Angel’s Envy Kentucky Straight Whiskey Finished in Port Barrels
- 1 part Tattersall Pommeau
- 1 part Green Apple Shrub*
- 2 dashes Fee Bros Old Fashioned Bitters Calvados Rinsed Glass Long Lemon Peel garnish
*Green Apple Shrub: 2 cups chopped green apples combined with one cup unrefined Louisiana sugar, left sealed in the refrigerator for three days, strained, build to 1 to .75 ratio sugar syrup to apple cider vinegar
Instructions: In a mixing glass, build fresh ice, Angel’s Envy, Tattersall Pommeau, green apple shrub, and bitters. Stir until well incorporated, approximately ten seconds or twenty rotations. Place approximately 1/4 parts calvados into an empty double rocks glass and swirl to coat. Add fresh ice to calvados-lined glass and strain cocktail over fresh ice. Garnish with expressed lemon peel.
Without Faculty – by Tony Burke, Virginia Whiskey Guardian
My father isn’t a very big drinker. As a matter of fact, his first sip of alcohol that I’m aware of is when I got married. I named this cocktail “Without Faculty” because every time I would ask him why he doesn’t drink (I was just poking the bear, of course I knew the answer) he would respond by saying ” I don’t want to lose control of my faculties”. My friends and I still laugh to this day every time he gives us this answer. My Father loves, and I mean LOVES desserts, and one of his favorites is a Bananas Foster. Couple that with his undying love for all things ginger and I came up with this cocktail. All I have to do next is get him to try this drink and I know he’ll be hooked.
Ingredients:
- 2 parts Angel’s Envy Kentucky Straight Whiskey Finished in Port Barrels
- ½ part Ginger Syrup
- ½ part Giffard banana liqueur (Banane Du Bresil)
- ¾ part Lemon Juice
- Bittermens Tiki Bitters
Instructions: Add all ingredients (except bitters) into a shaker tin. Add Ice and shake. Double strain into a double rocks glass over one large ice cube and garnish with 3 drops of Tiki bitters and a banana slice.
Trapline Old Fashioned – by George Engelstad, Seattle Whiskey Guardian
My father is a bit of a renaissance man. While we were living in the middle of nowhere Wisconsin, he did everything imaginable in the outdoors: he hunted, trapped, fished, farmed, and learned everything he could about nature. Then he passed on as much as he could to me and my two brothers. One really cool thing he taught us was how to tap maple trees and make fresh maple syrup and maple sugar. With this cocktail, I tried to pay tribute to all of the time we spent outdoors. It’s rich, smoky, sweet and could almost be a liquid Smores—a drinkable version of what you’d make on a campfire. I think dad would approve.
Ingredients:
- 2 parts Angel’s Envy Kentucky Straight Whiskey Finished in Port Barrels
- ¼ part Laphroaig 10yr Scotch
- ¼ part Gifford Creme de Cacao
- ¼ part maple syrup
Instructions: Stir all ingredients into a shaker tin. Strain over a large ice cube finish with spritz of Angel’s Envy Rye, if you happen to have it.