The classic bourbon cocktails everyone should know how to make

[Celerity]

Learn these classic bourbon-based cocktails

https://www.themanual.com/food-and-drink/classic-bourbon-cocktails/

If we had to (for some strange reason) pick only one spirit to mix with, it would be bourbon whiskey. We understand that spirits like gin, vodka, white rum, and blanco tequila are more well-suited for summery cocktails. And while summer is the season in which we’re most likely to whip up a cocktail or two, we believe that bourbon is the perfect spirit for all seasons. Do you want to drink a Gin & tonic in the middle of winter? Probably not. But sipping on an Old Fashioned on an unseasonably cool summer night, while you sit around a roaring campfire, makes for a pretty epic night. Bourbon’s corn-based mash bill is sweet, mellow, complex, and flavorful. It never gets lost in a cocktail and is guaranteed to warm you up on a cool evening.

The best part? Countless classic bourbon-based cocktails are not only flavorful but surprisingly easy to make. All you need (besides a few simple ingredients) to start your bourbon cocktail journey is a decent bottle of bourbon. You don’t have to spend the equivalent of a car payment to get one. Countless bottles in the $30-60 range are perfectly suited for slow-sipping or mixing. Once you find one you like (we prefer Wild Turkey 101, Elijah Craig, and Knob Creek), you can easily mix up a few classic drinks. We’re talking about the likes of the Old Fashioned, Whiskey Sour, Boulevardier, Paper Plane, and more. Keep scrolling to see some of our favorite classic bourbon cocktails and even learn how to make them.

Paper Plane



Is it too soon to call a cocktail made in 2008 a classic? We don’t think so. The Paper Plane was created by Sam Ross and Sasha Petraske for Chicago’s Violet Hour. Named for the M.I.A. song “Paper Planes,” it’s a take on the classic Last Word. This exceptional cocktail is made with bourbon, Italian amaro, Aperol, and fresh lime juice. It’s boozy, tart, and extremely complex.

Brown Derby



Like all cocktails, the Brown Derby has a bit of a muddled history. Many believe that its origins are sometime in the 1930s, and a bartender at the Vendôme Club in Los Angeles created it. It was named for a famous diner that was situated near the bar. A sour, tart, and sweet combination, this iconic cocktail features bourbon whiskey, honey syrup, and freshly squeezed grapefruit juice.

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[no_hypocrisy]

1. I prefer knocking back Bourbon and Cokes.

Nothing better, maybe except for Highballs (Ginger Ale and Bourbon).

[PJMcK]

2. I prefer bourbon neat

No need to spruce it up.

YMMV

[ProfessorGAC]

4. Makes Sense

Moderately price whiskies abound for cocktail making.
The subtleties of bourbon is wasted on a cocktail.
I'm not a bourbon guy (I don't drink much), preferring single malt scotch. I wouldn't make a cocktail from those either. I don't even get scotch & water, or scotch & soda!
I was a bartender for a while in college (yeah we broke the law, because I wasn't even 19 then) and I didn't get adding water to a liquor. Gin & tonic, I got because the tonic tastes like something. Even today, I'll order a tonic and lime. They can keep the gin!

[DJ Synikus Makisimus]

3. Kentucky Corpse Reviver

Most Corpse Revivers are made with other liquors, but here’s one with Bourbon (I like Kings County Bourbon, so mine are more Brooklyn Corpse Revivers, but still):

1 part Bourbon
1 part Lilet Blanc
1 part Curaçao
1 part lemon juice

Mix ingredients in a shaker filled with ice, shake vigorously, serve. Will not raise the truly dead, but may help do in your hangover, which is what corpse revivers were designed for.

[mitch96]

5. My rule of thumb is if you are drinking it neat, get the good stuff. If you are making a cocktail, a good tasting

but less expensive bourbon will do.
A friend of mine drinks Makers Mark and a touch of tart cherry juice. I tasted it and it wasn't bad! YMMV
m

[ironman99]

6. Bourbon Cocktails

What is hard to figure out:

Bourbon, Ice, maybe water. Done