Have used this recipe many times. Original recipe is good, but this is also one that lends itself to lots of improvisation. Recently made two batches for a large party, each time using a 4 hr setting on a slow cooker. To each batch I added lightly cooked crushed garlic cloves, 1/2 med onion, a chunk of ginger and several pinches of red pepper flakes to the crock pot. Big flavor improvements! And to get more sauce - of which there never seems to be enough in original recipe - I've added one cup of chicken broth at beginning of the slow cook. (Sauce should still be simmered/reduced and defatted as mentioned in the recipe.) Re the whiskey: Having made with and without, I'd suggest this can be left out to no negative effect. One last note: I recommend letting the meat rest for 20 mins, per instructions, and then gently pulling/slicing apart the roast at the seams. With the resulting large and small sections, it's easier to find the direction of the muscle and cut against the grain, resulting in extremely tender chunks or slices, as desired. Great suggestions by previous reviewers here, too. Check them out and enjoy...