This Father's Day, celebrate with a drink or two with your dad. Is he a Scotch drinker? More of a G&T guy? Into mezcal or open to whatever's new? In case you're drinking together while barbecuing up lunch, something light and reviving is the best approach. Or you're dropping off treats at his doorstep, something batched and long-lasting is a good bet. Below you'll find 10 of the best-mixed recipes for your Father's Day menu. 

Islay and Olive

Recipe by - Epicurious

Islay and Olive, Source Epicurious

This batched cocktail is a super-savory take on the dirty martini. You can make a bottle and drop it off at Dad's door if you aren't spending Father's Day together, or send him home with cocktails to-go for days ahead.

Ingredients (12 servings)

• 8 pitted green olives
• 1 ½ cups vodka (Try Nykur Premium Organic Vodka, gold medallist at the Bartender Spirits Awards 2021)
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons Islay Scotch (such as Laphroaig 10)
• ¾ cup vermouth (such as La Madre Rose Vermouth, silver medallist at Bartender Spirits Awards 2021)
• ½ cup water
• 2 tablespoons olive brine
• 10 dashes orange bitters
• Pinch of fine sea salt

To serve:

• 1 ½ teaspoon olive oil
• 12 lemon twists
• 12 to 24 green olives (optionally frozen)

Instructions

• At least 2 hours and up to 4 hours before serving, make the batch, place olives in a 1-liter swing-top bottle. Use a small funnel to pour in vodka, Scotch, vermouth, water, and olive brine. Add bitters and salt, then seal, turning gently end over end to mix, and chill in the freezer. (If you’d prefer to batch further in advance, refrigerate the filled bottle, then place in the freezer 2 hours or so before serving.)
• Meanwhile, freeze additional olives for garnish, if desired.
• To serve, add olive oil to the cocktail mixture. Reseal and turn the bottle gently to mix. Pour cocktail into a chilled martini or Nick and Nora glasses. Express oils from a lemon twist over each cocktail and use the twist as a garnish, along with a frozen olive or two.

Sin Cyn

Recipe by - Liquor.com

Sin Cyn, Source Liquor.com

An elegant scotch cocktail can be difficult to achieve, thanks to the bold character of the spirit itself. In this case, single malt, Cynar, and Carpano Antica, each powerful component comes together beautifully to demonstrate both strength and balance. Not unlike a father figure who is firm yet fair.

Ingredients

• 1-ounce scotch 
• 1-ounce Cynar
• 1-ounce Carpano Antica Formula vermouth

Add all the ingredients into a mixing glass with ice and stir until well-chilled. Strain into a rock glass over fresh ice.

Rusty Nail

Recipe by - Social & Cocktail Co.

Rusty Nail, Source The Spruce Eats

A true Scotch lover's cocktail. With only two ingredients, you can’t get much simpler than this. Those who like to drink Scotch on the rocks normally will have something to contend with, and you might just sway them to a whiskey cocktail instead after trying this! Almost a perfect combination with the hot taste of the Scotch, beautifully counter-balanced by the herbal overtones of the Drambuie. 

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 ounces Scotch whiskey
• 3/4 ounce Drambuie

Gather the ingredients. Pour the ingredients into an old-fashioned glass with ice cubes. Stir well. Serve and enjoy.

Manhattan

Recipe by - The Spruce Eats

Manhattan, Source The Spruce Eats

The Manhattan is the perfect upscale cocktail for the whiskey-loving Dad. Buy him a great bottle of rye which he may not get all the time, and stir this one up with dinner. If your father is more of a Scotch man, go for it and make a Rob Roy instead, or give him the real treat of a bottle of both whiskeys along with vermouth and let him decide.

Ingredients

• 2 ounces rye whiskey, or bourbon, or Canadian whisky (Try Stormy River Rye Whiskey, Gold Medallist at Bartender Spirits Awards 2021)
• 1-ounce sweet vermouth (such as Accompani Sweet Vermouth, silver medallist at Bartender Spirits Awards 2021) 
• 2 to 3 dashes aromatic bitters
• Cherry, for garnish

Gather the ingredients. Pour the whiskey, sweet vermouth, and bitters into a mixing glass with ice cubes. Stir well. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with the cherry. Serve and enjoy. 

Ginger Beer Margarita

Recipe by - Minimalist Baker

Ginger Beer Margarita, Source The Minimalist Baker

We love this refreshing twist on an old favorite, and we’re sure your Dad will too. This drink is simple with flavors that were seemingly meant for each other: Ginger beer, simple syrup, fresh lime juice, tequila, and salt for your rim.

Ingredients 

• 1 1/2 ounces 100% agave tequila (such as Veneno Single Estate Reposado Tequila 100% Agave, Silver Medallist at the Bartender Spirits Awards 2021)
• 1 ounce fresh lime juice 
• 3 ounces ginger beer 
• 1/2 ounce simple syrup
• 1/2 cup ice 
• Coarse salt

Instructions

• Line a small serving glass with fresh lime juice and dip in coarse salt (optional).
• Add tequila, lime juice, ginger beer, simple syrup, and ice to a large glass or cocktail shaker and stir vigorously. Don’t shake with a lid on, or it will erupt from the ginger beer carbonation.
• Pour the liquid (reserving ice) into a serving glass with a few ice cubes. Garnish with a lime wedge and serve immediately. Repeat for more drinks or double/triple the amounts for more people.

Sparkling Rosemary Cider

Recipe by - The Kitchn

Sparkling Rosemary Cider, Source Recipe by - The Kitchn

This Father's day is celebrated with this bubbly cocktail. In this 3-ingredient pitcher cocktail, sparkling apple cider, fresh rosemary, and vodka join forces to result in a super-simple drink that feels fancy.

Ingredients

• 4 fresh rosemary sprigs
• 2 cups vodka (such as Cylinder Vodka, Vodka of the year at the Bartender Spirits Awards 2021)
• 2 (750-ml) bottles sparkling apple cider (about 6 1/3 cups), chilled
• Ice, for serving

Instructions

Cut or break 4 fresh rosemary sprigs in half and place them in a pitcher. Muddle with a muddler or wooden spoon to bruise and release the oils. Stir in 2 (750-ml) bottles of chilled sparkling apple cider (about 6 1/3 cups) and 2 cups vodka. Serve in ice-filled glasses.

Irish Whiskey Lemonade Cocktail

Recipe by - Creative Culinary

Irish Whiskey Lemonade, Source Creative Culinary

The main difference between Irish whiskey and American whiskey are the ingredients. Irish whiskey has barley as the primary ingredient, and American whiskey can be made from either corn, wheat, or rye. As a result, the taste of Irish whiskey is a lighter and less sweet flavor than its American counterpart. Adding it to a drink with a fair amount of citrus from both lemons and limes left it a bit too tart. This Father's day, surprise your dad with this Irish Whiskey Lemonade Cocktail.

Ingredients

• 4 oz Irish whiskey (Try McCarthy’s Irish Whiskey, gold medallist at the Bartender Spirits Awards 2021)
• 2 oz Lemon juice
• 2 oz Lime juice
• 2 - 4 Tbsp Superfine sugar
• 1/4 tsp Grenadine
• Club Soda
• Ice and garnishes; for this cocktail, a lime wedge and maraschino cherry

Instructions

• Combine Irish whiskey, lemon juice, lime juice, grenadine, and sugar to the cocktail shaker and shake well. Let sit for a couple of minutes to ensure that sugar melts. Add ice to the shaker and shake until ice cold. 
• Add crushed ice to the serving glass and strain mix over. 
• Top with club soda. 
• Garnish with a cherry and lime wedge

Horsefeather Cocktail

Recipe by - Gimme Some Oven

Horsefeather Cocktail, Source Gimme Some Oven

This classic Horsefeather Cocktail is easy to make with just 4 ingredients - your choice of whiskey, ginger beer, bitters, and a squeeze of lime. Basically, a refreshing whisky spin on a Moscow mule. A Horsefeather is just a whiskey version of a Moscow mule, made with your choice of whiskey, ginger beer (the spicier, the better), a squeeze of lime, and a few generous shakes of bitters. Give your father a twist in his regular drinks routine with this cocktail.

Ingredients

• Whiskey (Try Southern Star Standard High Rye Straight Bourbon Whiskey, gold medallist at the Bartender Spirits Awards 2021)
• ginger beer (the spicier, the better)
• Angostura bitters
• Citrus (lemon or lime slices)

Instructions 

• Fill a highball glass (or mason jar) with ice. Add whiskey, ginger beer, bitters, and a squeeze of lime or lemon, and stir to combine.
• Serve immediately, garnished with extra lemon or lime.

Sage Advice

Recipe by - Chowhound

Sage Advice, Source Chowhound

This refreshing cocktail from The Rose Club at The Plaza Hotel blends sage-infused gin with sage-infused honey for a beautiful autumn flavor, brightened up with lemon juice. Chartreuse lends additional sweet-spicy-herbal notes, and club soda brings a bit of fizz. Get some sagely advice from your father with this sage drink.

Ingredients

• 2 ounces sage-infused gin (Try Green Hat Gin Citrus Floral, Gin of the year at the Bartender Spirits Awards 2021)
• 1-ounce lemon juice
• 1/2 ounce yellow Chartreuse
• 1/2 ounce sage honey
• Splash of club soda
• Sage sprig, for garnish

Instructions 

• Pour sage-infused gin, lemon juice, Chartreuse, and sage honey into a shaker with ice.
• Shake vigorously for about 15 seconds.
• Strain into a glass with fresh ice and top with a splash of club soda. Smack the sage sprig reserved for the garnish between your palms to release the aromatic oils, and place it in the glass before serving.

Pineapple Cilantro Serrano Cocktail

Recipe by - Cookie and Kate

Pineapple Cilantro Serrano, Source Cookie and Kate

This refreshing cocktail is made with pineapple juice, tequila, cilantro, and serrano pepper. It’s bold, spicy, sweet, and herbal all at once. 

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro
• ½ small lime, juiced
• 1 small, round slice of serrano pepper (⅛th to ¼th-inch thick)
• 1 ½ ounce silver tequila (Try Cazcanes Tequila - Blanco, gold medallist at the Bartender Spirits Awards 2021)
• 3 ounces quality pineapple juice
• agave nectar (optional), to taste

Instructions

• In a cocktail shaker or glass, muddle the cilantro, lime juice, and slice of serrano.
• Fill the shaker with ice and pour in the tequila, pineapple juice, and a light drizzle of agave nectar (optional). Shake well, and strain the mixture over ice in a cocktail glass.
• Garnish minimally with a lime round, or get fancy with a slice of pineapple and sprig on cilantro on a cocktail pick.

Header image: Manhattan, Source The Spruce Eats