Just as champagne is not champagne unless it comes from Champagne (in France), a brand of Bourbon is not considered original if it has not been brewed in the US. Ask any bourbon purist, and he’ll most likely tell you that he’d prefer his favorite brand to be distilled in Bourbon, Kentucky. Bourbon is the American version of the Scotch whiskey and is processed from corn instead of malted barley from which the latter is brewed.
Bourbon, despite being a whiskey variant, has an air of exclusivity that makes the alcoholic beverage highly sought after amongst liquor connoisseurs. First, bourbon whiskey must be brewed in the US with 51% corn. Then again, it should be distilled exactly to 160 proof, and put inside a charred or fresh oak cask for maturing at 125 proof.
Bottling of bourbon should be at 80 proof without adding any coloring or flavoring. No wonder then that Bourbon serves as an ideal base drink for whipping up an array of pleasurable and heady cocktails.
Boulevardier
Recipe type-cocktail, prep time-3 minutes, serving-1 drink
Ingredients
- Bourbon or rye whiskey, 1 ounce
- Campari, 1 ounce
- Sweet vermouth, 1 ounce
- Maraschino cherry or orange peel (for the garnish)
Preparation instructions
- Put crushed ice inside a cocktail shaker or mixing glass and transfer the bourbon, Campari, and sweet vermouth
- Stir or shake thoroughly (depending on whether you’re using a mixing glass or cocktail shaker) for about half a minute so that the ingredients blend perfectly
- Secure a julep strainer at the top of an ice-cold Collins glass or highball glass
- Strain the blended solution into the highball glass
- Wedge the cherry or orange peel on the glass rim and start sipping
A tip to keep in mind:-
In order to figure out your appropriate ingredient mix, you can increase the helping of bourbon to 1-1/2 and lessen the remaining ingredients to ¾ ounce.
Gold Rush
Recipe type-cocktail, prep time-5 minutes, serving-1 drink
Ingredients
- Bourbon, 2 ounces
- Honey syrup, ¾ ounce
- Squeezed juice of 1 lemon, ¾ ounce
- Equipment you’ll need
- Measuring cups
- Cocktail strainer/julep strainer
- Cocktail shaker
- Saucepan
Preparation instructions
- Fill up the cocktail shaker with cracked ice and pour the bourbon, honey syrup, and lemon juice
- Shake the contents for 15-20 seconds till the ice mixes completely with the liquids
- Place the cocktail strainer atop a large rocks glass or Old-Fashioned glass and strain the solution into the glass
A tip to keep in mind:
- It is better to use homemade honey syrup for the cocktail
- Pour 1 cup honey and 1 cup water in a saucepan and heat mildly
- Keep stirring till the honey dissolves
- Allow the solution to cool down before using
- Preserve the syrup in an airtight container in a fridge for 5-6 days
Uncle Angelo’s Eggnog
Recipe type-Cocktail, prep time-5 minutes, serving-6 drinks
Ingredients
- Eggs, 6 (separated)
- Sugar, ¾ cup
- Heavy cream, 1 pt
- Whole milk, 1 qt
- Bourbon (preferably Four Roses), 8 ounces
- Spice rum (Sailor Jerry or Captain Morgan)
- Nutmeg, grated (for garnishing)
- Large glass tea cups or punch-glasses
Preparation instructions
- Whisk the egg yolks till they turn white in color
- Keep adding sugar gradually as you whisk
- Pour the milk, liquor, and cream, and continue muddling until the ingredients blend
- Now, stir the albumen (egg whites) in another container till they become thick and dense
- Add the leftover sugar in a gradual manner while you whip
- Pour the whisked egg white in the bowl containing the egg yolk blend and stir the entire concoction
- Transfer the contents into six punch-glasses and sprinkle grated nutmegs on the top
Five-Spice Bourbon Punch
Recipe type-cocktail, prep time-2 hrs 10 minutes, serving-4 drinks
Ingredients (for the cocktail)
- Bourbon, 6 ounces (preferably 4 Roses Yellow Label)
- Freshly squeezed juice of 2-3 lemons, 2 ounces
- Five-Spice Syrup, 3 ounces
- Club Soda, 8 ounces
- Wedges of lime (for flavoring)
Ingredients for the Five-Spice Syrup
- Whole Sichuan peppercorns, 1 teaspoon
- Star anise, 1 whole pod
- 3-inch cinnamon sticks, 2
- Whole cloves, 5
- Whole fennel seeds, 1 tbsp
- Water, 1 cup
- Sugar (granulated) , 1 cup
Preparation instructions for the five-spice syrup
- Fry the star anise, peppercorns, fennel seeds, and cloves in a mid-size pan in medium heat for 1 minute. Keep tossing and turning the spices for the entire duration.
- Now, transfer the cinnamon sticks, water, and sugar to the pan, and let the contents simmer in medium heat
- Keep on stirring until the ingredients come to a boil
- Place a lid over the pan and remove from the oven, allowing the mixture to cool for the next 2 hours
- Filter the mixture into a hermetically sealed container. This blend will stay palatable for the next 14 days if you preserve in a refrigerator
Preparing the cocktail
- Pour the bourbon, lime juice, and five-spice syrup in a large jug or carafe
- Beat the ingredients in a way so that they blend nicely
- Now, pour the club soda, and stir mildly
- Take four old-fashioned glasses or rocks glasses and fill them up with crushed ice
- Pour 4-3/4 ounces of the concoction in each glass and place the lime wedges on the glass rims
Pomegranate Bourbon Cocktail
Recipe type-cocktail, prep time-5 minutes, serving-1 drink
Ingredients
- Bourbon, 2 ounces
- Pomegranate juice, ½ ounce
- Pomegranate molasses, ¼ ounce
- Freshly squeezed juice of 1 orange, ½ ounce
- Angostura bitters, 1 dash
- Orange twist
Preparing the cocktail
- Pour the bourbon, pomegranate molasses, pomegranate juice, angostura bitter, and orange juice in a cocktail shaker filled with ice
- Shake forcefully for about 10-15 seconds
- Place a strainer over a cocktail glass and transfer the contents into it
- Squeeze the orange peel over the glass and position it on the rim