There are times when you want to navigate around the smokiness of Scotch and the heavier, sweeter mouth feel of Bourbon. How about whiskey made from rye? The American style is made with 51 percent rye grain and produces a lighter, faintly fruity whiskey. It provides an excellent balance in mixed drinks. While this cocktail calls for ginger ale, you could use a more assertive non-alcoholic ginger beer to lift the peppery taste. The muddled fresh ginger blends well, adding spicy aromatics without sharpness.

Our Friday mocktail offering, the Roy Rogers, is below.

Ginge-Rye
2 ounces rye whiskey
1 thick slice of fresh ginger root
3 dashes, Angostura Bitters
2 ounces ginger ale
Maraschino cherry

Mash the ginger slice and bitters with a muddler in the bottom of an old-fashioned glass. Add the whiskey and ginger ale. Stir 3 or 4 times, add ice and the cherry and stir until chilled. If you really like the taste of ginger, rub the rim of the glass with a piece of ginger before assembling the cocktail.

Roy Rogers, a mocktail for all
The non-alcoholic Shirley Temple was, in an more sexist age, the mocktail for girls. The Roy Rogers, which substitutes cola for ginger ale, was a drink for boys. One hopes we have reached an age where the color of your cola is no longer a classification of gender, particular during this holiday week.

Roy Rogers
1 1/2 teaspoon grenadine
Chilled cola
Orange slice
Maraschino cherry

Fill a highball glass with ice. Pour in grenadine, top with cola and stir. Garnish with the orange slice and cherry. Add a straw and serve.

Tomorrow: Buttery hot

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