Bourbon
Spirits · usually a base spirit · in 6 cocktails here
What it is
American whiskey, at least 51% corn, aged in charred new oak. Sweeter and rounder than rye.
Typically about £24 a bottle in the UK.
What it tastes like
Corn sweetness up front, then vanilla, caramel and coconut from the charred new oak. Rounder and softer than rye.
What it does in a drink
Base spirit for sours and stirred drinks, where its sweetness means less added sugar.
Cocktails with bourbon
Unlocks 6 recipes on Drinki.
Best known
- Boulevardier IBA A Negroni that spent the winter in Kentucky.
- Mint Julep IBA Crushed ice, packed to a dome, until the cup frosts over.
- Old Fashioned IBA Spirit, sugar, bitters, ice. The original definition of the word cocktail.
- Whiskey Sour IBA The template every other sour is a remix of.
- Paper Plane IBA Four equal parts, invented in 2008 and already a classic.
- Amaretto Sour A splash of bourbon stops it turning into marzipan.
What it pairs with
The ingredients that turn up alongside bourbon far more often than chance would predict.
Substitutes
- Rye whiskey — drier and spicier; a common and accepted swap in stirred drinks and sours
It can itself stand in for rye whiskey.