Maple Ginger Whiskey Sour; it’s all in the name. A fall twist on the refreshing and boozy classic cocktail. How could it be better? Oh yeah, paired with a bacon wrapped date; that definitely makes it better!

Maple Ginger Whiskey Sour served with a lemon or orange wheel and a cubed ice.

I LOVE maple syrup and maple flavored things. I once had a discussion with a friend about pancakes and syrup. My friend claimed the best part of pancakes is the fluffy pancake. To which I responded that pancakes are merely a vehicle for syrup and good maple syrup is the star of that dish. I like a nice pancake, but I don’t want a dry pancake. Good quality maple syrup makes any pancake, waffle or french toast come alive! Needless to say my friend disagreed and we tried to convince each other who was wrong. In the end we agreed to disagree (and that I was right!).

But seriously maple syrup is amazing. It elevates the Maple Ginger Whiskey Sour. Maple syrup replaces the typical simple syrup of a whiskey sour, bringing fall flavor with the sweetness. Maple tames the heat of the ginger and tones down the burn from the whiskey. The maple syrup also balances the sourness of the lemon while not being lost behind the other ingredients. The maple comes through as an amazing base note leaves a beautiful lingering maple flavor. I love a cocktail with a beautiful exhale; when that exhale is maple, even better! (The exhale flavor is the end flavor that is left in your mouth when you exhale after taking a sip of a drink).

Honestly, the Maple Ginger Whiskey Sour is a perfect fall cocktail; whenever you want to celebrate fall. Pair the Maple Ginger Whiskey Sour with these Bacon Wrapped Dates Stuffed with Sage Pumpkin Goat Cheese.

Recipe Notes & Substitutions

Whiskey– Feel free to use whiskey¹, whisky¹, bourbon or brandy; all of these will work. Truthfully I tend to gravitate towards brandy, but whiskey/bourbon work incredibly well in this cocktail. When using bourbon, which I find a little sweeter, reduce the maple syrup otherwise the cocktail could be too sweet. If you like a sweeter drink you won’t have to reduce the maple, but I tend to lean away from sweet. I would also not use an intense peated/smokey whiskey or brandy as it could take over and overwhelm everything else. When using brandy use the spirits around 40% not the liqueur ones 15-25% as these are sweetened. Using a dry brandy is important otherwise the cocktail will be a sugar bomb.

Maple Syrup– Use good quality maple syrup. Don’t go out and buy one specifically for this recipe, use the one you like best. Also, adjust the amount of maple towards your preference. If you like a boozier cocktail reduce the amount of maple syrup. Conversely if you like a sweeter cocktail add a little more maple syrup. You can substitute with another sweetener of choice, I would recommend a brown sugar simple syrup or date syrup first and then a honey simple syrup. Agave just brings sweetness and not flavor so it won’t work quite as well, but it’ll still be good if you want the whiskey to shine.

Ginger root– Use fresh ginger to muddle into the cocktail, here the fresher the better! The spicy bite fresh ginger brings is amazing. If you do not have fresh ginger or can’t find fresh ginger, you can either omit or infuse the alcohol of choice with dried ginger overnight.

Lemon– Fresh lemon juice is the best but use whatever you have on hand. I would not use lime. Lime will bring a different flavor, not bad but lemon works better with maple. Also with a fresh lemon you can cut a piece of rind or a slice as a garnish.

Infusing the Whiskey Overnight– Infusing a spirit is easy. You put the ingredient you want in the spirit and let it sit. The longer it sits the more intense the flavor becomes. First best results muddle the ginger into a glass jar with a lid then top with desired spirit. Put the lid on and shake. Let it sit overnight and then strain into the cocktail shaker when making the recipe. This is not required but does bring more ginger flavor. If you are in a rush or do not want to infuse overnight, don’t! The cocktail will still be good.

Why this Maple Ginger Whiskey Sour pairing works… In my mind.

Maple Ginger Whiskey Sour paired with Pumpkin & Sage Goat Cheese Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Dates.

First of all, bacon and whiskey/brandy are perfect combinations in themselves. The smokiness of bacon pairs with the subtle smoke and oak flavors from the bourbon/brandy. The sharpness of the spirit cuts through the fattiness of the bacon, which also tames some of the whiskey burn. The straw/hay and fruity flavors from the spirit balance the meatiness of bacon. Finally, the saltiness of bacon makes you thirsty, so it makes it a natural pairing for cocktail. Then add maple to the bacon whiskey combo and the maple brings a sweetness to the saltiness, a combination I love!

The rest of the bite accentuates other aspects of the drink. Pumpkin and date go together perfectly because the caramel notes of date are balanced with the earthy pumpkin flavor. Goat cheese adds a tanginess that balances the sweetness and earthiness. The saltiness and fattiness of the bacon brings further balance to enhance the flavors and smooth the tang.

Ginger in the cocktail brings a spice that enhances the pumpkin puree filling, bringing some fresh intrigue to the food bite. Finally, sage adds must have earthy and herbaceous nuances. The sage blends with the maple syrup and the lemon in the cocktail. Sage works incredibly well the notes of wood/oak, hay, earthiness or nuttiness from the bourbon/whiskey/brandy. Each bite brings out different flavors, serve this combo at any holiday party for a serious treat.