There is a saying out there. “Alcohol can be man’s worst enemy, but doesn’t the Bible say love thy enemy?”

From the early history to the present alcohol has played an important role in religion, worship and in every aspect of a human’s life. It’s also made for a pretty great drink. From the late 50s when you had Frank Sinatra sipping on good old whiskey with Dean Martin next to him already a drink or two in, to Mad Men, and Tony Stark, whiskey’s been the go-to drink of choice for gentlemen looking to have a good time. Please don’t twist our words, we’re not saying you need to be an alcoholic, just remember the wise words of Humphrey Bogart “The problem with the world is that everyone is a few drinks behind”, so maybe it’s time we teach the world the proper way to catch up.

You may ask yourself what does a modern gentlemen drink? From good rum, too a great gin, vodka the list goes on. Well what about liquid sunshine? Yes, we are talking about whiskey, what your grandfather drank, what your father had after a long days of work. We think you’ll agree when we say no other spirit has been associated with manhood like whiskey. The man who drinks whiskey is one who lives life to the hilt. He doesn’t settle and he doesn’t just drink something because it’s there. The true classic man knows he is just not downing a beverage, but he is participating in a celebration of artisanship and the deep pleasure of life. I think whatever kind of whiskey it is from the great American whiskey or a great scotch whisky we can agree with David Daiches when he said “The proper drinking of whiskey is more than indulgence. It is a toast to civilization, a tribute to the continuity of culture, a manifesto of a man’s determination to use the resources of nature to refresh mind and body and enjoy to the full the senses which he has been endowed”. Now you may ask yourself, what kind of whiskey should I have? How do I drink it?

What if you don’t like whiskey on the rocks or you can’t have it straight? Well start acquiring the taste. How about having whiskey in your cocktail? Think of this. When a man hits the bar on a date or with friends and you look on what he is drinking. That cocktail he holds gives you clues on his personality. Do you honestly respect a man dressed as if he was Don Draper who goes into a classy bar in Manhattan and orders a Bud Light while he’s on a 1^st date? Now what if that same guy ordered an Old Fashioned, or at least a Whiskey & Soda, like a good ol’ “Jack and Coke” that you can never go wrong with. You’ll appear as if you could drink all night long without slurring a word. Remember when a guy’s drinking whiskey it says a lot about the man. He is interested in culture, art, travel. Just because, well, whiskey is an art.

But the good news is it’s an art every man can start playing around with. You don’t need years of study or expensive supplies, all you need is a good whiskey in your glass, either on the rocks or neat, and you’re already on your way to being the smoothest guy in the room. We’ll give you some classic cocktails every man should know.

Next time you’re looking to sip something while marathoning House of Cards on Netflix, maybe go for the Old Fashioned it’s usually a bourbon based cocktail but try it with a whiskey. Try a Manhattan (whiskey, sweet vermouth, and bitters), have a Whiskey Sour (whiskey, syrup and lemon), or a Mint Julep (whiskey and mint). We strongly recommend you get familiar with the different types of whiskey as they’ll all have different effects on the cocktails, but for starters, just throw caution to the wind and try something new. Make it an adventure. Since we care of your wellbeing and want you to succeed in being a true classy guy, here’s some names of great American whiskey:

Jim Beam Black might not be the ritziest choice in town, but at around $25, it’s a great bourbon whiskey to cut your teeth on. From there, if you want to go spicier, try Wild Turkey, and as for you out there with sweet-tooths Maker’s Mark might be able to scratch that itch.

Rittenhouse 100 is for guys who like Jack Daniels, but don’t want to be “Jack Daniels Guys”. It’s kind of like being a Burger Guy without being a Burger King Guy.

Whistlepig’s 100/100 Straight Rye Whiskey is, as the name suggests, 100 proof, 100% rye whiskey from Vermont and a treat for any rye whiskey fan. 70 Bucks is a steal for something that staf whiskey drinkers consider one of the best rye’s they’ve ever had, the only downside here is having to find a bottle.

Find out why whiskey is the drink that is most associated with manhood. Remember the wise words of Cary Grant “One pretends to do something or copy someone or some teacher, until it can be done confidently and easily in what becomes one’s own style. So become a classy man, looking good isn’t self-importance, its self-respect and your drinking style has a lot to do with how you “look” so step up your drinking style. Too much of anything is bad but too much good whiskey is barely enough.

And as always, these are guidelines, not rules. Go make it your own.

Cheers.