No doubt a bourbon is a smooth drink that’s best enjoyed neat or at room temperature. You may also think that there’s nothing better than enjoying your glass of bourbon on the rocks. But have you ever tried some crafted bourbon cocktails? You can enjoy these cocktails during the cooler months of the year. They are refreshing, smooth, great to taste, and make you feel all warm. If you have a bottle of bourbon, you can for sure make some classic cocktails by yourself. Most of these cocktail recipes are pretty straightforward and require ingredients that are easily available in the market or already exist in your pantry.
So if you’re up for trying out new cocktails, we have some interesting bourbon cocktail recipes for you to try now.
New York Sour
If you love your whiskey sours, you’ll love these New York Sour cocktails even more. This drink has a mix of red wine that adds ample flavor and aroma to the drink. Besides, it’s very easy to execute. The flavor palate of New York Sour is complex but very intense at the same time. If done rightly, it’s a well-balanced drink that is sure to win over hearts:
Ingredients
- 2 ounces of your favorite bourbon
- 1 ounce of freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 3/4 ounce of simple syrup
- 1 egg white (this is optional)
- 1/2 ounce of red wine
How To Make New York Sour
- Add your bourbon, lemon juice, egg white, and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker. Add some crushed ice as well and give this a good mix until the shaker turns chilled.
- Strain your mix into a cocktail glass over ice cubes.
- Lastly, you pour your red wine into the glass. You’ll notice that the wine floats on top of your drink. So, give it a small stir until it blends well and cheers!
Also read: 7 Easy Gin Cocktail Recipes That You Should Try
Bourbon Old Fashioned
Bourbon Old Fashioned, like its name suggests, is an old-fashioned classic cocktail. It’s a seasoned and sweetened drink which gives it a very unique taste. The simple and smooth qualities of this bourbon cocktail for the ideal drink to sip on during the weekend. Bourbon Old Fashioned is not too strong or too sluggish. It’s the perfect balance of flavors and is best served chilled.
Ingredients
- 1 ounce of simple syrup
- 3 dashes of Angostura bitters
- 2 ounces of bourbon
- An orange peel for garnish
How To Make Bourbon Old Fashioned
- Take a Collins glass and add some crushed ice to it. Pour in the bourbon and simple syrup. Give this a gentle stir with a stirrer until they both blend well.
- Add your Angostura bitters and give it another good stir.
- Once you’re done stirring all the ingredients well, you extract the oil of an orange peel over the glass. And then drop it in the glass for garnish.
Bourbon Rickey
Traditionally, rickey is a drink made with gin which is absolutely delicious. But, in our opinion, the bourbon rickey is the better one among the two. It’s the perfect summer evening drink that reminds you of the beach. Bourbon Rickey only requires three simple ingredients and less than 5 minutes to make. Once you try this one, you’ll want to have more.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 ounces of bourbon
- 1/2 freshly squeezed lime
- 1 ounce of club soda or sparkling water
- Lime wedge for garnish
How To Make Bourbon Rickey
- Use a highball glass filled with ice for this drink. Add your bourbon to the ice and squeeze your lime into it.
- Give the bourbon and lime juice a good stir. Then, add sparkling water or club soda to this mix.
- Finally, drop in your lime wedge and give it all a good stir.
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Hot Toddy
Known as the grandfather of hot drinks, the Hot Toddy is an 18th-century drink that will warm you up from the inside. It’s the perfect blend of alcohol, citrus, and sugar flavors mixed into a hot drink. Hot Toddy is known to get rid of your cold and help the furnace on a frigid evening. It’s a great cocktail for your winter mornings and evenings alike.
Ingredients
- Half a glass of boiling water
- 4 cloves
- 1 lemon wheel
- 1 Cinnamon stick
- 2 teaspoons of honey
- 1/4 ounce of freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 ounces of your favorite bourbon
How To Make Hot Toddy
- Stick the cloves into the lemon wheel and set them aside.
- Using a tall glass, pour your hot water into it and add the honey. Mix this until the honey gets mixed with the water.
- To this, add the lemon peel, cinnamon stick and give another good stir.
- Finally, add the liquids and stir all of it again until it’s all blended well.
Manhattan
Manhattan is one of the more popular cocktails belonging to the whisky family. The flavor palate of this drink is intense, smooth, and bitter with a strong flavor of your bourbon. Manhattan is an acquired taste, but once you do, watch as it becomes your go-to bourbon cocktail!
Ingredients
- 2 ounces of bourbon
- 1 ounce of sweet vermouth
- 2 dashes of Angostura bitters
- 1 dash of orange bitters
- Brandied cherry or lemon twist for garnish
How To Make Manhattan
- Add all of your spirits and mixers in a cocktail shaker. To this, add the crushed ice and give it all a very good shake.
- Once it’s all blended well and chilled, strain it into a cocktail glass.
- Top this off with a brandied cherry or a lemon twist and serve.
Paper Plane
This one is a new cocktail on our list. Paper Plane was introduced only in 2017 and was inspired by another cocktail: Last Word. This cocktail has become a favorite among cocktail lovers for its perfect balance of bitter, sour, and herbal notes. Paper Plane is a crowd-pleaser bright orange cocktail that not just looks pretty but also tastes amazing. You can surely make this one for a low-key cocktail party and flaunt your bartending skills.
Ingredients
- 3/4 ounce of your favorite bourbon
- 3/4 ounce of Aperol
- 3/4 ounce of Amaro Nonino Quintessentia
- 3/4 ounce of lemon juice
- Lemon peel for garnish
How To Make Paper Plane
- Add all your liquids into a cocktail shaker and give it a very good shake. Make sure you don’t add any ice and shake it until it’s all mixed really well.
- Use a Collins glass and pour some crushed ice into it. Strain your cocktail into the glass and garnish it with a lemon peel. That’s all you need and your drink is ready!
Mint Julep
Mint Julep is just as refreshing and interesting as it sounds. It’s made from the most basic ingredients you can find in your pantry and requires less than 4 minutes to prepare. Because it’s so easy to make, it can be your year-long staple drink. Plus, you won’t even realize how quickly your bottle of bourbon gets over. Mint Julep is definitely a cocktail that you must learn to make to impress your friends and boast your bartending skills.
Ingredients
- 7 mint leaves
- 1/4 ounce of simple syrup
- 2 ounces of bourbon
- Mint sprig for garnish
How To Make Mint Julep
- Using a small bowl or glass, muddle your mint leaves and simple syrup. Make sure that the mint leaves and simple syrup flavors blend.
- Pour this muddle into your cocktail glass or your copper glass. Add some ice cubes to this and pour in the bourbon. Give it a good stir until all of the ingredients mix well.
- Garnish this drink with some mint sprigs and sip on it!
Also read: 7 Easy Vodka Cocktail Recipes That You Gotta Try!
Summing Up
Now that you have recipes for all these bourbon cocktails, it’s time you take out your precious bottle of bourbon. These are easy-to-make recipes that require minimal effort but have delicious end results. We would 100% recommend you try at least a few of these bourbon cocktail recipes for yourself.
FAQs On Bourbon Cocktails To Try Right Now
What Mixes Good With Bourbon?
Bourbon is a drink that is sweet and smooth. If you don’t like to have it on the rocks, you can try some mixers to go along with it. The most basic mixers that you can add to your bourbon are:
- Coca-Cola
- Club soda
- Ginger ale
Is Bourbon Good For Cocktails?
If you love cocktails, you’ll have a fun time using bourbon in your drinks. It’s a dynamic spirit that just goes well with most mixers and blends beautifully with a lot of different flavor palates. This is why it’s used to make some classic and fusion cocktails.
What Is The Most Common Way To Drink Bourbon?
Bourbon is a drink most loved to drink neat. This means it’s served at room temperature without adding any mixers or ice. But, some other people also like to have it in the form of cocktails.
How Do Beginners Drink Bourbon?
If you’re a beginner and don’t like the neat taste of bourbon, you can try some bourbon cocktails first. If not, you can also try having the drink with some mixers. It will help you gain an acquired taste for the drink.
