This favorite of the Del Mar Highlands Sky Deck is all about sourcing from nearby producers and artisans whenever possible. That emphasis on local ingredients spreads to its cocktail list, too: The Westward Bound gives a Southwestern twist on the Penicillin, with Westward Whiskey replacing the base scotch, chili-infused agave imparting the sweetness of the original’s honey, and a float of mezcal replacing the smoke of the traditional peaty scotch. It turns a drink invented in New York and made with heavy Scottish influence into a cocktail that tastes like home.

Local seafood has always been the major draw of this award-winning Pacific Beach institution — hardly a surprise, given its roots (it was started by a local fisherman) and location (less than a mile from a surf park). But another of its obsessions — sparkling wine — shows up in the Swift, with a pet-nat cordial balancing out a mixture of Westward Whiskey, apple cider vermouth, and oloroso sherry.

Music may come first at this Convoy District listening bar, modeled on similar establishments in Tokyo where the sound is as important as the mixology. That said, the cocktail menu is every bit as detailed as the calibration of the sound system. For example, the Bet on Black is a mix of Westward Whiskey, a brown butter rum blend, two types of bitters, and a touch of saline to brighten it all up. Top it with a chocolate-filled cherry, and it’s worthy of quiet celebration.

Sage the Day sounds like the command you might give at the end of a particularly noxious shift at work, and the drink of the same name served up at this Kearny Mesa classic can help: It’s a whiskey sour at heart, with the added flavor of a sage-infused simple syrup. It makes for a self-help one-two when paired with the Chinese comfort food the Inn has been known for over almost three decades of operation — comfort, then cleanse.

Aero Club is a nationally recognized dive bar that lives up to its reputation in the best possible way, including a whiskey list that features more than 1,000 entries. In this setting, the PDX OFX cocktail feels appropriate: A take on the Old Fashioned, it uses Westward Whiskey as its base and adds maple salt syrup and two types of bitters to recreate a classic. It’s the type of drink to sip in between turns on the pool table or the pinball machine.

It would take weeks to visit all that San Diego has to offer, but with the 360-degree view from the University Club Atop Symphony Towers, it takes just a clear day to “see” most of the city. The spaces at the top of San Diego’s second-tallest tower are coveted for events, and the private club’s drinks only add to the allure. The Three Day Weekend seems simple enough with Westward Whiskey, lemon, and simple syrup, but the addition of a dry curaçao infused with charred nopales, and a cabernet sauvignon-soaked mushroom garnish make it worth seeking out.

Throw up the devil horns at this South Park vegan restaurant and bar made for the metalheads. Compared to menu items with names like Purgatory and Palmbearer, the Dusk’s Daze cocktail sounds more psychedelic — maybe because of the half-ounce of mushroom syrup? — but pink pepper bitters add an extra bite. Add to that Westward Whiskey, clear aperitif, and amaro, and you’ll be banging your head in no time.

Any bar this close to Balboa Park may feel far from California’s deserts. But the Desert Dreams cocktail lives up to its name by combining Westward Whiskey with juniper syrup, agave, lemon, and bitters to create a balanced, dry drink, one tailor-made to be consumed amid cacti and tumbleweed. Instead of drinking under an oppressively hot sun, though, Coin-Op Game Room serves up their drinks alongside old-school arcade games.

This Little Italy favorite has something for everyone, with sports fans, brew aficionados, and Italian food gourmands all loving its European beer garden aesthetic and lively atmosphere. The Shell of a Drink adds to the fun: it’s an easy sipper, made from Westward Whiskey, a syrup made from chamomile and a local pale ale, and lemon juice. It’s light enough for an Italian summer garden party, while still playing to a whiskey drinker’s palate.

The smoke of mezcal, the fire of whiskey, the zest of citrus… at this bar and kitchen in Chula Vista, the desert comes to the dining room in the form of the Blue Sky. Westward Whiskey and mezcal provide the earth to anchor the pineapple juice and blue Curacao (the latter of which gives the drink its sky-like hue). Pair it with one of the items from the Taste of Peru menu for a flavorful combination that acts as a quick trip to the Sechura Desert.

One of the top openings of the pandemic, this Golden Hill modern Vietnamese star won Eater San Diego’s restaurant of the year award in 2022, along with receiving national and international accolades. That excellence extends from the plate to the glass as well: The Fuji Apple Old Fashioned adds both cherry and apple to the traditional cocktail, the former through a cherry blossom tea-infused Westward Whiskey and the latter as an ingredient in a brown sugar syrup.

Southern California meets the American South here at this Louisiana-style seafood joint, where the crawfish and shrimp boils are always on. Pick a Hut, any Hut — there are locations downtown, in Convoy, and in Mira Mesa — and you’ll be able to grab both seafood by the pound and the Kraken Slayer, a take on the Boulevardier that makes use of a banana-infused Westward Whiskey alongside the traditional sweet vermouth and, in this version, a Californian amaro.

The North Park institution combines classic French and California modern cuisines, with dishes like steak tartare and escargot sharing menu space with local swordfish. In case the restaurant’s French bona fides weren’t apparent enough, though, there’s the Drink With Your Left Hand, Smoke With Your Right. A take on the Parisian classic Boulevardier, it’s a mix of Westward Whiskey, Italian orange aperitif, and butterscotch schnapps in a maple-smoked glass.

The Old Fashioned gets an east-meets-west twist at this stunner of a Japanese restaurant at the Del Mar Highlands Sky Deck Town Center. The Wagyu Old Fashioned is a simple recipe when it comes to combining the ingredients — Westward Whiskey, bitters, simple syrup, and a touch of finishing salt — but the whiskey is washed with wagyu fat, giving the drink a smooth texture and rich taste.

A dark, moody beauty in Normal Heights, Swan Bar is a throwback to the early days of the cocktail renaissance, with low lighting and great date night vibes. It also captures the experimentation of the period with the Mojave Shorebreak, which takes Westward Whiskey and peach liqueur, then introduces lime, pineapple, and a hint of honey for sweetness. Enjoy it with one of their signature burgers and a side of fries or onion rings.

Southeast Asian cuisine gets a Californian makeover in this dimly lit, brick-walled North Park restaurant. Try out the Westward Wanderer, a drink akin to a nutty Old Fashioned, made with Westward Whiskey and a touch of black walnut liqueur and almond syrup. Pair it with the smoked mushroom fried rice as an earthy complement, and then after dinner head upstairs to Dolly’s, the Manor’s rooftop bar, for another round — this one under the stars.

With a name like that, it might be hard to go to Del Mar and not get the titular menu items (and with an impressive tap list, it’s understandable). But the Good Things Come in Tree cocktail, a Cross Street take on the Old Fashioned, makes an excellent complement to the Korean-style fried chicken: Combining Westward Whiskey with peach syrup brings a traditional southern U.S. flavor to the meal.

There are few more natural pairings than steak and a good whiskey, and this Coronado contemporary steakhouse specializes in both, with wagyu (both Japanese and American) on the menu and an extensive list of ryes, bourbons, scotches, and more. Stake hosts plenty of celebrations — birthdays, anniversaries, new jobs — and the Lowrider can help put you in the party mood. It’s a simple, but effective, mix of Westward Whiskey, yellow Chartreuse, lemon juice, and chamomile-infused honey that adds a floral sweetness.

Like its North Park sibling, this Gaslamp bar is a gamer’s paradise, this time in the busiest neighborhood in the city. Whether during international pop culture conventions or post-baseball games, Gaslamp can get slammed, but a few sips of the Desert Dreams (Westward Whiskey, juniper syrup, agave, lemon, and bitters) and you’ll feel like you’re miles out into the arid scrublands, away from the big crowds.

It may look like an old-school drugstore and soda joint straight from the set of a 1950s sitcom (the neon sign out front advertises prescriptions, drugs, and tonics), but the drinks here pack more of a punch than any pop or milkshake. Case in point: The Desert Rose, with its Westward Whiskey, sherry, crème de cacao, and the Mexican corn liquor, pox.