This delicious cocktail is nutty and slightly sweet, without being dessert.
Combine pecans, sugar, and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer over medium heat for about 12 minutes, until syrup tastes like pecans. (It will become brown well before this.) Strain out pecans, then chill syrup until cold. Yields: about 14 cocktails (or 7 batches of the recipe below)
Combine whiskey, sherry, pecan syrup, and lemon juice in a shaker with ice. (You can also stir this cocktail if you'd prefer.) Shake until cold. Strain into 2 glasses. I like to have this with a large ice cube.
If you'd rather make two rather strong drinks, use: 3.75 ounces whiskey, 2.25 ounces sherry, .75 ounces lemon juice, and 2.25 ounces syrup. Serve with a large ice cube. And then don't plan on drinking anything else.
Store leftover sherry corked in the refrigerator. Use within a few weeks.