Enjoy Whiskey The Same Way Frank Sinatra Did With His Specialized 3-2-1 Method

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In today's health-conscious climate, people tend to be pretty conscientious about how much they drink due to the negative impact alcohol can have on mental and physical health. In mid-century America, however, folks were less troubled by these concerns, to the point where Frank Sinatra could go on stage with a glass of Jack Daniel's in hand and call it "the nectar of the gods." (This endorsement even led to a huge boost in the brand's name recognition.) This bourbon was a favorite of his, especially when served in a very specific style known as Frank's Way, or 3:2:1. The latter descriptor also serves as a recipe of sorts, as long as you add a few nouns.

Filling in the blanks, this recipe calls for 3 ice cubes, 2 fingers of bourbon, and 1 splash of water. A finger equates to about 1 ounce, while a splash can range from a few drops to ½ an ounce. (Some experts recommend diluting bourbon with an equal amount of water, but as Sinatra liked his martinis very dry, he probably didn't follow this advice.) The crooner wasn't a stickler for the exact 3:2:1 recipe, as he would also accept four ice cubes, but he didn't want the glass loaded down with ice, either. According to Bill Zehme's book "The Way You Wear Your Hat: Frank Sinatra and the Lost Art of Livin'," Sinatra once told a bartender who over-iced his drink, "... With all this ice, I figured we're supposed to go skating here or something. That's not my sport."

A 3:2:1 pour of Jack Daniel's may have been Frank Sinatra's go-to tipple, but as the chief bon vivant of the Rat Pack era, he cultivated a more Catholic taste in cocktails. He often drank dry martinis when in London, and in Rome, he may have enjoyed a glass or two of red wine. (In fact, he favored a Venetian wine called Bolla Amarone and would order it at restaurants.) He had a favorite tiki drink, too, the rum-heavy Navy Grog, and he was also known to mix margaritas, Manhattans, and old fashioneds. If he had another signature drink besides Jack on the rocks, though, it was probably a Scotch-based Rusty Nail.

A Rusty Nail, which consists of Scotch mixed with the Scotch-based liqueur Drambuie, is something Sinatra would order at P.J. Clarke's in New York. It was strongly associated with the Rat Pack in general, which made it a popular drink in the Swinging Sixties, although it was previously pretty obscure. Ol' Blue Eyes didn't leave us a recipe for this drink, but he may have made it with Chivas Regal, which was reportedly a favorite Scotch of his. The brand even sponsored Sinatra's 1990-1991 Diamond Jubilee World Tour, which, while not a retirement tour, per se, was a fitting way to start winding down a legendary music career.