From woodland-inspired ingredients to classic cocktails with a spicy kick, it’s time to elevate your whisky drinks this autumn. While there’ll always be a time for an Old Fashioned by the fireside or a Rob Roy after dark, a world of new flavours awaits this season.

First, forest flavours have come to the fore in cocktails. With whisky lovers increasingly seeking a deeper sensory experience from their drinks, elements such as pine, juniper, and lingonberries incorporate an invigorating touch, evoking a sense of the outdoors. These flavours bring drinkers closer to nature at a time when we’re spending more evenings inside and Chivas Regal’s Pine & Rosemary Highball captures this trend expertly. Crafted using Chivas Regal Mizunara and pine soda, the soda enhances the whisky’s delicate character and floral notes for a fresh and elegant take on a classic Highball.

Spicy twists on classic cocktails have been rising in popularity. In particular, the trend for spicy Margaritas is showing no signs of slowing down, with a 900 per cent increase in Google searches during the last 30 days alone. This hot agave effect is spilling over into other spirits, giving rise to creative spins on cocktail classics.

Ballantine’s has jumped on this opportunity with a Brooklyn Mary. Whisky’s spicy answer to a Bloody Mary, it features the distillery’s special Ballantine’s x Flying Goose Sriracha Sauce for an added kick of heat. Rhys Wilson, Ballantine’s brand ambassador, said: “As we move into the autumn months, we’re seeing consumers gravitate towards cocktails that deliver warmth, spice, and depth of flavour, reimagining familiar serves with a seasonal twist. Whisky continues to shine as the perfect base, whether that’s a smoky take on a classic or something unexpected like the Brooklyn Mary, which blends Ballantine’s smooth character with bold, spicy notes for a warming twist on a brunch favourite.”

Last but not least, umami-forward cocktails are enticing consumers and redefining the drinks landscape as palates shift away from sweetness. From the Tomatini (tomato-based martini), which took over the internet this past summer, to creative bar experiments, umami is everywhere. At Scarfes Bar at the Rosewood Hotel in London, the team features umami in the Free Falling cocktail, which pairs whisky with a bespoke mushroom-chocolate garnish, adding a sweet, savoury, and umami finish for an elevated sipping experience. Andy Loudon, director of bars for Rosewood London, said: “Umami is arguably the most misunderstood yet influential flavour profile of the last few years. We’ve seen bartenders turn to miso, seaweed, soy, and mushrooms. These ingredients give drinks weight and savoury complexity. This is where something like Free Falling from the ‘Long Drawn Out Sip’ menu truly shines…

“The key is subtlety, a mushroom fat-washed whisky brings umami depth without overpowering the balance. It deepens the emotional and sensory experience of the drink, creating a cocktail that feels rooted, reflective, and unmistakably of the earth, perfectly in tune with where the modern palate is headed.”

Johnnie Walker has gone one step further and captured the umami taste in bottle form with a Johnnie Walker Blue Label Umami release, balancing sweet and savoury flavours. To celebrate the launch, the team at Johnnie Walker created an umami-rich take on an Old Fashioned, stirred through with a dash of Worcestershire sauce and finished with a candied cherry tomato. One to try for a cosy evening at home with friends.

Taste the rising trends with the cocktail recipes below.