Whether you’re heading to a picnic, hosting a garden party, or simply looking for a reason to open a new bottle of your favourite scotch – be sure to try these easy picnic drinks that will wow your guests through warm summer days and long evenings.
Spend less time in the bar and more time enjoying the fun with these simple to make but seriously delicious whisky picnic cocktails and mixes. There are summer drinks ideas to please the whole party, from fruity sippers to fizzy highballs.
Our hot tip: stock up on fresh garnishes to really impress your guests! Even better, pick them from your very own cocktail herb garden.
Whisky Smash
The whisky smash is as classic and refreshing as a picnic cocktail can be. Mixing fresh lemon and mint with sugar and scotch, it’s deliciously smooth and summery. Add your twist on this classic recipe with our shortlist of the best whisky smash variations.
COCKTAIL RECIPE
FOR 
1
SERVE
1INGREDIENTS
| Ingredients | Unit |
|---|---|
|
The Glenlivet Founder’s Reserve
|
60 ml |
|
Lemon Juice
|
25 ml |
|
Sugar Syrup
|
15 ml |
|
Mint Leaves
|
8 |
METHOD
- Add all ingredients (including Mint Leaves) to a cocktail shaker with Cubed Ice.
- Shake.
- Double Strain into Rocks Glass over Cubed Ice.
- Garnish with a Sprig of Mint.
- Serve.
Mint Julep
Mix up a batch of this minty cocktail and your friends will be eternally grateful. The whisky julep is a simple yet satisfying drink made with, you guessed it, a handful of muddled fresh mint. Add berries, citrus fruit or ginger for extra flavour.
COCKTAIL RECIPE
FOR 1 SERVE
1INGREDIENTS
| Ingredients | Unit |
|---|---|
|
The Glenlivet Captain’s Reserve Whisky
|
60 ml |
|
Fresh Red Apple Juice
|
30 ml |
|
Green Cardamom Syrup
|
15 ml |
|
Poire William
|
7.5 ml |
|
Mint for Garnish
|
|
|
Cardamom pods for Garnish
|
METHOD
- Build and churn in a julep tin.
- Garnish with mint sprigs and cardamom pods.
Punch Fresco
Where there’s a picnic, there’s punch! Give your guests something to talk about with this help yourself watermelon whisky cocktail. The sweet watermelon and agave muddle wonderfully with our slightly tropical scotch, The Glenlivet Caribbean Reserve. Serve it punch style in a drinks dispenser or get creative with a carved watermelon bowl.
COCKTAIL RECIPE
FOR 1 SERVE
1INGREDIENTS
| Ingredients | Unit |
|---|---|
|
The Glenlivet Caribbean Reserve
|
75 ml |
|
Watermelon Chunks
|
4 |
|
Watermelon Juice (Alternative to Watermelon Chunks)
|
75 ml |
|
Sugar Cane or Agave
|
1 tsp |
|
Tajin (for Garnish)
|
METHOD
- Muddle all ingredients.
- Add ice.
- Garnish with mint and watermelon slice.
- Optional garnish: Rim of Tajin.
Carnivale
Summer days call for summer flavours. And if your picnic coincides with a heatwave, you’ll want this recipe to hand. Get tropical with this scotch and coconut water cocktail. Perfect for cooling off in the shade and beachy picnics.
COCKTAIL RECIPE
FOR 1 SERVE
1INGREDIENTS
| Ingredients | Unit |
|---|---|
|
The Glenlivet Founder’s Reserve Whisky
|
50 ml |
|
Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice
|
10 ml |
|
Coconut Water
|
120 ml |
|
Amargo Chuncho
|
1 dash(es) |
METHOD
- Add The Glenlivet Founder’s Reserve, fresh lime and coconut water to a highball glass half full of crushed ice and stir.
- Fill the glass with crushed ice, taking care not to bring the level of the liquid up too high.
- Dash with the Amargo Chuncho bitters.
Full Scottish
If you’re going full on British picnic then you’ll need a drink to match. Meet our whisky marmalade cocktail, a drink Paddington Bear would be proud of. It’s sweet, sour and seriously delicious. The ultimate drink to sip with a sandwich.
COCKTAIL RECIPE
FOR 1 SERVE
1INGREDIENTS
| Ingredients | Unit |
|---|---|
|
The Glenlivet 15 Year Old Whisky
|
50 ml |
|
Lemon Juice
|
20 ml |
|
White Port or Ruby Port
|
15 ml |
|
Simple Syrup
|
5 ml |
|
Orange Marmalade
|
15 ml |
METHOD
- Place all ingredients (including the marmalade) in a cocktail shaker and shake hard.
- Strain into a whisky tumbler filled with cubed ice.
- Garnish with thin strips of orange zest similar to the ones found in marmalade.
French 75
Got something to celebrate? Picnics can be as casual or dressy as you please. And this cocktails for the latter. Pour a round of whisky French 75s into your best glasses for a fabulous garden party. The scotch and champagne mix is perfect for toasting to friendship, occasions or simply just because!
COCKTAIL RECIPE
FOR 1 SERVE
1INGREDIENTS
| Ingredients | Unit |
|---|---|
|
The Glenlivet 12 Year Old
|
35 ml |
|
Lemon Juice
|
15 ml |
|
Honey Water
|
15 ml |
|
Champagne
|
80 ml |
|
Lemon Twist
|
METHOD
- Pour The Glenlivet 12, lemon juice and honey water into a chilled flute.
- Top with champagne, stir and garnish with a lemon twist.
Elderflower Collins
This elderflower highball is a must-have picnic drink. Bursting with bubbles and a light, floral flavour, it’s a guaranteed crowd pleaser. Make sure to bring enough for top ups – we’re willing to bet it’ll be in high demand.
COCKTAIL RECIPE
FOR 1 SERVE
1INGREDIENTS
| Ingredients | Unit |
|---|---|
|
The Glenlivet Founders Reserve
|
50 ml |
|
Elderflower Cordial
|
10 ml |
|
Lemon Juice
|
5 ml |
|
Soda
|
Top up with |
METHOD
- Build in glass.
- Garnish with cucumber ribbon.
Grain and Cane
Summer picnics aren’t complete without some rich, red berries. We’re serving ours in the form of our raspberry whisky cocktail, the Grain and Cane. Made with fresh fruits, lemon and a touch of vinegar to balance out the sweetness, this Scottish inspired drink is a must for any sunshine filled soirees.
COCKTAIL RECIPE
FOR 1 SERVE
1INGREDIENTS
| Ingredients | Unit |
|---|---|
|
The Glenlivet Founder’s Reserve Whisky
|
50 ml |
|
Fresh Raspberries
|
5 |
|
Lemon Juice
|
15 ml |
|
White Balsamic Vinegar
|
5 ml |
|
Simple Syrup
|
15 ml |
METHOD
- Shake all ingredients with ice and strain over crushed ice in a highball glass.
- Garnish with fresh raspberries and a grind of black pepper.
Grapefruit Paloma
Take a walk on the sour side with this grapefruit whisky cocktail. The Grapefruit Paloma is citrus lovers dream, made with fresh juice, lime and smooth sweet scotch to balance out the bitterness.
COCKTAIL RECIPE
FOR 1 SERVE
1INGREDIENTS
| Ingredients | Unit |
|---|---|
|
The Glenlivet Founder’s Reserve
|
50 ml |
|
Grapefruit Juice
|
45 ml |
|
Lime Juice
|
10 ml |
|
Sugar Syrup
|
15 ml |
METHOD
- Shake the Glenlivet Founder’s Reserve, grapefruit juice, lime juice and sugar syrup together.
- Strain into highball filled with ice and top with soda water.
- Garnish with grapefruit wedge.
Scotch and Soda
You can’t go wrong with this simple combo. Scotch and soda drink might only have two ingredients but it’s a picnic cocktail that is quick to make and great to drink. Pour, sip and relax!
COCKTAIL RECIPE
FOR 1 SERVE
1INGREDIENTS
| Ingredients | Unit |
|---|---|
|
The Glenlivet Founders Reserve Whisky
|
150 ml |
|
Soda
|
150 ml |
|
Lemon Peel
|
METHOD
- Fill your glass full with ice.
- Add whisky and top with soda.
- Garnish with lemon wheel.
Get more inspiration with our collection of whisky cocktails. Here you’ll find more recipes using The Glenlivet including our favourite 2 ingredient whisky drinks as well as guides to hosting an outdoor garden party
MORE COCKTAILS
A classic whisky drink made The Glenlivet way.
In this twist on the French 75, Single Malt meets Champagne.
A bittersweet cocktail you’ll enjoy again and again.
The Glenlivet Scotch and Soda is simple to make but delicious.
