There are a lot of questions and even misconceptions people have when first trying bourbon. In this article we will walk through some basics of drinking bourbon for the first and answer some common first-timer questions.
First time bourbon whiskey drinkers should follow these steps. All bourbon drinkers have tried these staple distillers Evan Williams, Buffalo Trace, Four Roses, and Woodford Reserve. Pour yourself a finger or two worth of bourbon, nose it with a sniff, take a sip and enjoy the warmth and smooth mouth feel of bourbon. There is no need to seek out some rare bottle or spend a whole lot of money on a bottle to get the best out of bourbon.
For more details on how to drink bourbon, here are eight suggestions on how to get to know bourbon and begin to find a brand or type of bourbon that matches your tastes and budget.
- For the first time drinking bourbon, make it simple.
- Run to the local liquor store and grab any bottle of bourbon around $20 dollars.
- Grab a friend, a small glass, and one or two cubes of ice.
- Pour you and your friend a small pour, about a fingers width high. Keep the ice to the side, for now.
- Take a small sniff, or nose, of the bourbon to get a sense of the liquid. Is it fruity, hints of vanilla, caramel or cherry.
- When you take your first sip, breathe in and let your drink roll to the back of your mouth, swallow, and enjoy the warmth of the bourbon as it coats your throat. Your first reaction will probably be one of surprise, especially if you only have done shots of liquor in the past. The surprise should be that unlike a shot of tequila or goldschlager, bourbon has a smooth and warm finish. It is in the finish that you are able to pick up notes of vanilla, cherry, and smokey caramel. Enjoy a second sip and the smoothness of bourbon increases.
- Now, to get to understand how ice affects the flavor of your bourbon, add one or two pieces of ice, swirl it around, nose it, and take a sip. You should notice different flavors coming through with the addition of the ice. Take another sip and enjoy the flavor of your bourbon.
- Repeat this with different bourbons and styles to see which you begin to gravitate to. Obviously, over a period of time and not in one night! Eventually, you will begin to build your pallet and as you begin to try different bourbons, you’ll begin to build out your preferences and learn that some are more sweet, or have more spice, or lack a smoothness that you enjoyed compared to other brands or blends of bourbon.
Trying Bourbon While Out on the Town
If you are enjoying time out with friends or family and looking to order a bourbon at a bar or restaurant, tell the bartender or server that you would like help selection a bourbon. Or, you can try and use your knowledge from this article to test your skills. I always have my go to bourbons that I will ask for, neat. Neat is a term to have your bourbon served in a rocks glass with only your pour of bourbon. It should be served at room temperature ad sipped, not taken as a shot.
My go to bourbons are Woodford Double Oaked, Eagle Rare, or Weller Antique 107. You can ask for a side of ice, to add yourself, or if you know you want your bourbon poured over ice, ask for it “On the rocks.” Bartenders are usually more than happy to talk to you about what they have stocked and their favorites. I have found that having a friendly conversation with your bartender will often get you a nice sampling of some rare bourbons or a taste of their favorite bourbons on hand. And, I am always happy to provide a generous tip for them sharing in and helping create a good bourbon experience.
If you are still a little shy about asking for bourbon straight up, you can also ask to see what mixed bourbon drinks they have. Many places have specific bourbon mixed drinks to try. While a mixed drink will add other flavors and dilute the full bourbon flavor, they may also help ease your pallet into bourbon. Some go-to mixed bourbon drinks of mine include an Old Fashioned, Manhattan, or Whiskey Sour made with Bulleit Bourbon or Rye.
Types of Bourbon
There are so many types of bourbons on the market, I will leave the tasks of cataloging them up to the professionals. The bourbon scene in the US, and around the globe, has been on a steady growth projection for a number of years, and over the past 5 years, has really exploded. Bourbon is America’s Native Spirit. While historically, they have been made only in Kentucky, new regional bourbons have been hitting the shelves outside of the traditional Kentucky distilleries. I have sampled a few of these myself but I continue to gravitate back to the native Kentucky brands. Mostly, it is because I live within a few miles of the bourbon trail. But when I travel, I always try and seek out regional bourbons.
Fun fact, all bourbon is whiskey, but not all whiskey is bourbon. Mostly, to be considered Bourbon or Kentucky Straight Bourbon, it has to follow these simple rules. The ingredient to make up the mash, or grain-base, must be at least 51% corn. The distilled bourbon, or high/low wines must be at least 80% alcohol and not greater than 160%. When barrelled the alcohol must be no more than 125% and must age in a new charred oak barrel. Typically, the aging process is at least 2 years, most are aged around 4 years, but for some it is much longer.
Quick Guide to bourbon types you see on the label.
- Kentucky Straight Bourbon- See above
- Single Barrel- Bourbon drawn from one barrel and not mixed with any other bourbon
- Small Batch- Bourbon mixed with select barrels that have aged into a specific style
- Blends- Similar to small batches but on a larger scale. Many of the mass go to market bourbon brands are blends. It helps the distilleries produce a consistent product.
Simple Bourbon Cocktails
When out or at home, I enjoy sampling bourbon cocktails from time to time. Below are a few that I mentioned above and one additional recipe that I wanted to add for your enjoyment.
Old Fashioned– Simple. Bourbon mixed with sweetness and orange peel. .5 oz of simple syrup, a few dashes of bitters, orange peel muddled in the syrup, large ice cube and 1.5 – 2oz of bourbon. Swirl in glass, enjoy.
Manhattan- In a shaker add ice, 2 oz of bourbon, .5 oz of sweet vermouth, 1 dash of bitters. Mix and pour over ice, top with a maraschino cherry. Not those bright red ones, buy a high end brand from your liquor store. Trust me on this one one. Next level.
Whiskey Sour- Simple ingredients are best. In a shaker add ice, 1 Tbls of maple syrup, juice of half a lemon, a sprig of fresh rosemary, 2 oz of bourbon. Shake, pour over ice, add a straw and a small sprig of rosemary to the glass.
Mint Julep– Derby Day calls for a Julep. Start with .5 oz of simple syrup, a few mint leaves, and 2 oz of bourbon. Muddle one mint leaf and the sugar, fill the glass with crushed ice, pour in bourbon, top with more ice, mint leaves and a straw.
Beggar’s Banquet- This is a good combination of the drink ingredients above. In a rocks glass, add 2 oz of bourbon, 1 Tbls of maple syrup, juice from half a lemon, 5 oz of a lager beer. Mix in the glass and add an orange peel to garnish.
Remember to, enjoy the bourbon.