There’s no stand-in for a good whiskey cocktail. When you want a drink with authority but also warmth—whether it’s a classic cocktail such as an old-fashioned or Manhattan or a refreshing highball with soda water or ginger beer—you turn to whiskey. Nothing compares to the gravity this spirit brings to a drink (or, let’s be honest, to life).

Whiskey is made all over the world—the UK exports the most whiskey by far, but Japanese products have been gaining popularity over the last decade or so—and there are many classes and varieties. Generally speaking, it’s a type of liquor made from fermented grain mash and typically aged in wooden casks. We could go on, but that would take a book, really, and you came here for a drink. So, without further ado, here are our best whiskey cocktails for your sipping pleasure.