Did you know that as the weather cools, many people trade icy vodka and gin cocktails for “warming” spirits such as whiskey—including single malt scotch, blended whiskey, bourbon, and rye? Of course, you will still enjoy these whiskeys on the rock, rocks or in a cocktail – adding cold to them, but only slightly diminishing warm notes like spice, vanilla, dried fruits, caramel, and heat.
Nevada-based distillery Frey Ranch makes a Four-Grain Straight Bourbon that is their most popular expression in Las Vegas, and you can find Frey Ranch at Khoury's, Total Wine, Lee's Liquor and more. And when you visit these liquor stores look for the stores’ personal barrel picks that say the store’s name right on the label, those bottles don’t last long on the shelves.
Frey Ranch distillery crafts award-winning whiskeys from high-quality grains 100 percent grown on their farm and distillery in Northern Nevada, just east of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. And I learned that it is one of only a few true “estate distilleries” in the U.S. The Frey family also has a long legacy of farming in this region that dates back to 1854.
Colby Frey, Frey Ranch CEO, co-founder, and Whiskey Farmer, started the distillery in 2006 with his wife, co-founder and Chief Storyteller Ashley. Colby truly does it all as he grows, malts, distills, and ages 100 percent of his whiskey grains on the more than 2,500-acre Frey Ranch farm. Experimenting with the corn, wheat, barley, and rye that Colby cultivates has become a hallmark of the brand.
Now, as you start to crave those brown spirits, naturally due to the change in season or because I’ve put this thought in your head, let’s move onto what cocktails you might like to try before you settle in by your fireplace at home. For these recipes I reached back out to Frey Ranch.
Harvester’s Blackberry Smash
Muddle lime, blackberries, and mint together. Stir in Frey Ranch Bourbon and simple syrup. Top with club soda, garnish with mint leaves, blackberries, and serve over crushed ice.
1 ¼ oz. of Frey Ranch Bourbon
Fresh lime wedges squeezed
8 fresh blackberries
Large mint leaves
½ oz. simple syrup
1 oz. club soda
Cranberry Bourbon Punch
To make the cranberry syrup: In a medium pot, bring 1/2 cup water, the maple syrup, and cranberries to a boil over high heat. Boil 5 minutes or until the cranberries begin to burst, then remove from the heat. Stir in the orange zest. If your syrup thickens too quickly, just add additional water to thin. Let it cool. If desired, strain out the cranberries.
In a punch bowl, combine the cranberry syrup, bourbon, lemon juice, cranberry juice, and orange bitters. Stir to combine, chill until ready to serve. Serve over ice. Garnish with an orange slice and candied rosemary, if desired.
8 oz. Frey Ranch Straight Bourbon Whiskey
½ cup maple syrup
2 cups fresh cranberries
Zest 1 large orange
4 oz. or ½ cup fresh lemon juice
1 cup 100% cranberry juice
3-4 dashes orange bitters
1 blood orange or regular orange, sliced or regular orange, sliced
As the weather cools, many trade icy cocktails for warming spirits like bourbon.