You’ll Never Meet a Party Guest That a Frozen Whiskey Sour Doesn’t Like

“She is the best hostess,” they said. “That was the best party,” they raved - Want to know my secret? It was the frozen whiskey sours!

Before we moved to Suffolk, we lived in a wonderful Virginia community called Fawn Lake. Some of the best hostesses I’ve ever known entertained there. One particularly amazing lady often served this cocktail. Everyone loved it - to the tune of, Yes, to “seconds?” And Absolutely, to, “a little more?”

A good hostess always has a signature drink…a good friend shares her recipe! My friend Sherry photographed her recipe from Julia Reed’s South and sent it right over.

Preparing for my own party, I texted her from the liquor store. Three fifths, the recipe said. Shocked, I texted, “three/fifths or three, fifths?” I think we all know how this ended. A huge batch of cocktails later, I was ready for not one, but many, many parties.

A batch of this frozen loveliness is the perfect thing to have in the freezer and we are never without it.

But my most favorite use recently, was not for our guests here at The Truitt House, but as a hostess gift, plucked fresh from the freezer, delivered ready to be enjoyed.

We’ve modified Reed’s original recipe to suit our tastes - which are a little less sweet and a bit more sour. Enjoy it however you like, but enjoy it you will. Cheers!

Ingredients

3 fifths bourbon whiskey, such as Makers Mark

2 quarts fresh orange juice

2 cups fresh lemon juice

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups sugar

3 10 oz. jars maraschino cherries, such as Luxardo

1 orange, thinly sliced, for garnish

Directions

Place the whiskey, orange juice, lemon juice and sugar in a large Cambro. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Add one jar of the cherries and 1/2 jar of cherry juice (I use Luxardo brand cherries) and mix well. Strain the remaining 2 jars of cherries and save the juice. Add the cherries to the whiskey mixture and sweeten to taste with the left over juice.

Mix well and portion into freezer safe plastic containers. I use 64 oz. plastic containers sourced from Amazon. Its the perfect amount for a party of 4-6 , because everyone wants seconds. Freeze and relax.

When ready, serve in a beautiful pitcher and garnish with cherries and orange slices!