5 Classic Cocktails Made With Ballantine’s 7 American Barrel Whisky

Whisky brand

Scotch whisky brand Ballantine’s has unveiled its latest offering: Ballantine’s 7 American Barrel. The new whisky is a combination of single malt and single grain whiskies that have been matured in oak casks for at least seven years, then finished in charred American barrels from Kentucky.

Ballantine’s 7 American Barrel is a tribute to founder George Ballantine who was aging and selling seven-year-old Whisky back in the 1870s, despite the fact that aging whisky was not common practice then.

Thanks to the 7-year-old ageing process and the finish in American barrels, the whisky combines the depth and complexity of Scotch with the sweet, creamy notes afforded by the American Barrels, to give you the best of both worlds.

Here are five cocktails to enjoy with Ballantine’s 7 American Barrel.

Old Fashioned

A classic Old Fashioned is a short drink that tastes perfectly sweet, spicy and smooth. The mixture of bitters and whisky creates a rich, intense serve, sweetened by the addition of a muddled sugar cube.

Ingredients: 

  • 50ml Ballantine’s 7 American Barrel
  • 1 brown cane sugar cube
  • 4 dashes of orange bitters
  • Orange peel for garnish
  • Ice cubes

Instructions:

  1. Add the sugar cube to a tumbler and soak with the bitters
  2. Muddle into a paste
  3. Add the ice cubes, pour over the Ballantine’s 7 and stir for a couple of minutes
  4. Add your orange peel garnish, and more ice cubes if required. 
  5. Enjoy!

Ballantine’s 7 & Ginger Ale

Spicy and refreshing in one.  Kick up a gear with the classic pairing of Ballantine’s 7 American Barrel and Ginger Ale. 

Ingredients: 

  • 50ml Ballantine’s 7
  • Ginger Ale
  • Lime wedge
  • Ice

Instructions:

  1. Fill a highball glass with Ice and pour in a shot of Ballantine’s 7 American Barrel
  2. Top with ginger ale and stir 
  3. Squeeze and drop in a large pair of lime

Hot Toddy

Curl up by the fire and stir some spice into the last for the cold winter evenings with this classic cocktail. 

Ingredients: 

  • 50ml Ballantine’s 7 American Barrel
  • 3 Teaspoons Honey
  • 15 ml Lemon Juice
  • 1 Cinnamon stick snapped in half
  • 2 Cloves
  • Boiling water

Instructions:

  1. Add whisky, honey and lemon juice together in a heatproof glass
  2. Top up with boiling water
  3. Add lemon and cloves
  4. Enjoy!

Whisky Sour

This cocktail is 150 years old, yet you’ll still find it in the trendiest bars.  Now give it a go with Ballantine’s 7 American Barrel. 

Ingredients:

  • 50ml Ballantine’s 7 American Barrel
  • 25ml Lemon Juice
  • 12.5ml Egg White
  • Angostura Bitters
  • Ice

Instructions:

  1. Fill a glass with ice and put it to the side
  2. Grab a cocktail shaker and top it up with ice
  3. Pour in the Ballantine’s 7, lemon juice and egg white
  4. Shake hard for about 20 seconds to chill the liquid really well
  5. Strain the mix into a glass filled with ice and add 2 dashes of Angostura Bitters

Ballantine’s 7 Sweet Iced Tea

This sweet and refreshing pick-me-up is guaranteed to make you the best host at the braai.  If it doesn’t rain, that is. 

Ingredients: 

  • 50ml Ballantine’s 7
  • 70ml Unsweetened tea
  • Soda water
  • 1tsp Cane Syrup
  • Lemon wedges
  • Mint
  • Ice

Instructions:

  1. Brew the unsweetened tea, add cane syrup and sugar and allow to cool
  2. Fill the glass with ice, lemon and mint
  3. Add Ballantine’s 7 and tea, then top with soda water