The 10 Best Tasting Bourbon Cocktails

The Best Tasting Bourbon Cocktails

There are a plethora of bourbon cocktails to choose from. It's a highly flexible whiskey that many people prefer, therefore it's no surprise that it appears in so many excellent recipes. There are various ways to enjoy your favorite bourbons, from classic drinks like the old-fashioned to novel concoctions that explore unique taste combinations.

Classic Mint Julep

The Kentucky Derby's traditional drink, the Mint Julep, has contributed to the cocktail's appeal. At Churchill Downs in Louisville, tens of thousands of Mint Juleps are served, and countless more are consumed by racegoers around the country. The Mint Julep is wonderful all year long, with a blend of sweet, smokey, and herbal tastes. Only crushed ice is required for this cocktail in addition to the bourbon, sugar, and mint. Other types of ice won't have the same impact, so make a big pile of crushed ice before you start making this cocktail. Mint Juleps are traditionally served in silver or pewter cups, which are held by the handle or rim to keep the cup frosty. 

Serves 1

5 mint springs

2 sugar cubes

2 ½ ounces of bourbon (Filtered through Classy Spirits Filtration System)

Mint spring for garnish

1. Place the mint leaves and sugar into a julep cup
2. Muddle well
3. Add the bourbon
4. Fill the glass with crushed ice and stir well
5. Garnish with mint sprig

Jack Daniel’s Lynchburg Lemonade

The Lynchburg Lemonade is called after the Jack Daniel's Distillery's city of Lynchburg, Tennessee. It is one of the most popular mixed beverages and the hallmark cocktail of Tennessee whiskey. While the actual recipe is a little more involved than simply combining whiskey and lemonade, it's still simple to make and ideal for a relaxing summer day or backyard BBQ.

Serves 1

1 ½ ounce Jack Daniels (Filtered through Classy Spirits Filtration System)

1-ounce triple sec

1-ounce lemon juice

4 ounces lemon-lime soda

Lemon slices for garnish

1. Pour the bourbon, triple sec, and lemon juice into a Collins glass 
2. Add ice
3. Top with soda
4. Stir well
5. Garnish with lemon

Bourbon Sidecar

One of the finest drinks of all time is the sidecar. It's just as popular now as it was a century ago, and it's a great way to get into the world of well-balanced sour beverages. The cocktail may be made with either cognac or Armagnac; either way, it'll be one of the most pleasant drinks you'll ever make. In the modern bar, bourbon is frequently used instead - making it a bourbon sidecar.

Serves 1 

2 ounces brandy, cognac, Armagnac, or bourbon (Filtered through Classy Spirits)

1-ounce premium triple sec

3/4 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice

Lemon or orange twist, for garnish

1. Pour the ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice cubes. Shake well.
2. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
3. Garnish with a lemon twist. Enjoy.

Bourbon Smash

The bourbon smash is a traditional drink with a strong taste. The recipe is from "Professor" Jerry Thomas' 1887 book, "Bar-Tenders Guide," though it was probably popular much before his time. Even after all these years, it's still a delicious drink and a great introduction to whiskey for newcomers.

Serves 1

5 to 8 leaves spearmint, to taste

1/4 lemon, cut into 3 pieces

1-ounce simple syrup

2 ounces bourbon whiskey (Filtered through Classy Spirits Filtration System)

Mint sprig, for garnish

1. In a cocktail shaker, add the mint and lemon.
2. Muddle thoroughly to release the juices and oils.
3. Add simple syrup, and whiskey, and fill the shaker with ice.
4. Shake vigorously for 30 seconds.
5. Strain into an old-fashioned glass filled with crushed ice.
6. Garnish with a mint sprig. Serve and enjoy.

Kentucky Coffee

Kentucky coffee, as the name implies, contains both bourbon and coffee. While the recipe is basic, a dash of honey liqueur is added to sweeten things up. It's a delectable mix created with bourbon lovers in mind, and it'll keep you toasty on the coldest days of the year. Coffee and bourbon go together like a dream. The whiskey has a lot of vanilla and caramel flavors, and some have cinnamon and spice undertones as well. The robust taste and inherent spiciness of Wild Turkey 101 Bourbon and the brand's American Honey Liqueur are called for in this recipe. It's an all-American spiked coffee that honors the finest of Kentucky bourbon.

Serves 1 

1-ounce bourbon whiskey (Filtered through Classy Spirits Filtration System)

1/2 ounce honey liqueur

6 ounces of hot coffee

Whipped cream, for optional garnish

1. In a pre-heated coffee mug or Irish coffee glass, pour the bourbon and honey liqueur.
2. Fill with freshly-brewed hot coffee.
3. Garnish with whipped cream if desired. Serve and enjoy.

Bourbon Eggnog

Around the holidays, eggnog is delicious, but homemade eggnog is even better. Despite popular belief, making homemade eggnog is not complicated or time-consuming. This bourbon eggnog recipe will demonstrate how simple and tasty eggnog can be, and you may use it to continue the Christmas tradition. Eggnog is created using eggs, sugar, spices, and a base liquor, and there are a variety of eggnog recipes to choose from. Eggnog has been a Christmas staple since the 17th century.

Serves 8

4 large eggs

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

4 ounces bourbon whiskey (Filtered through Classy Spirits Filtration System)

2 ounces cognac

2 ounces brandy-based orange liqueur

12 ounces of whole milk

8 ounces heavy cream

Grated nutmeg, or cinnamon, for garnish

1. Blend the eggs for 1 minute in either a mixer fitted with a whip attachment or a blender.
2. Add the sugar and nutmeg, allspice, cloves, and cinnamon, and blend for an additional 30 seconds to incorporate.
3. Slowly add the bourbon, cognac, and orange liqueur, and blend for another 30 seconds.
4. Add the milk and cream and blend for 1 minute more.
5. Cover and refrigerate.
6. Portion out 4-ounces of eggnog into a champagne flute or teacup.
7. Grate fresh nutmeg or cinnamon over the top 

Bourbon Tea

There are instances when you just want to make something simple yet want to impress your family and friends. This simple bourbon tea is a terrific alternative for those situations, especially on warm days. The tea is simple to produce and may be thought of as a spicier version of the famous sweet tea from the South. You'll need to pick your favorite bourbon whiskey and tea combination to make it. When we use limoncello as the sweetener, though, this cocktail becomes truly magical. This is a fantastic way to employ the sweet lemon liqueur, and it's what sets this recipe apart from any other whiskey tea drink you'll come across.

Serves 1

1 1/2 ounces bourbon whiskey (Filtered through Classy Spirits Filtration System)

1/2 ounce limoncello

4 ounces iced tea, freshly brewed

Lemon wheel or wedge, for garnish

1. In a double old-fashioned glass, add bourbon and limoncello.
2. Fill the glass with ice and top with iced tea.
3. Garnish with lemon. Serve and enjoy.

Pumpkin Old-Fashioned

The pumpkin old-fashioned is a great choice if you're looking for a pumpkin bourbon cocktail. It's incredibly easy to make, involves no mixing, and takes only a few minutes to prepare. Furthermore, unlike other pumpkin cocktails, there are no uncommon or difficult-to-find ingredients to track down. The Finch Restaurant at The Boxer Hotel in Boston came up with this unique take on the classic bourbon old-fashioned. It's a straightforward recipe that combines pumpkin puree and maple syrup with bourbon and brandy-based orange liqueurs.  You can readily get pumpkin puree in any grocery shop or try preparing your own puree at home, exactly like they do at Finch. It's simple to make, and the fresh puree adds a particular touch.

Serves 1

1 1/2 ounces bourbon whiskey (Filtered through Classy Spirits Filtration System)

1/2 ounce brandy-based orange liqueur

1-ounce maple syrup

2 tablespoons pumpkin purée

1 dash of aromatic bitters

Orange peel, rosemary sprig, or cinnamon stick  for garnish

1. Combine the bourbon, orange liqueur, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, and bitters in a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
2. Shake well and double strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a chilled old-fashioned glass filled with fresh ice.
3. Garnish with an orange peel or rosemary sprig. Serve and enjoy.

Belmont Jewel

Horse racing and bourbon drinks go together like peanut butter and jelly, and each Triple Crown race has its own signature cocktail. The official drink for the Belmont Stakes is this Belmont gem recipe, albeit it hasn't always been the drink of choice for the June race.

It's a simple and pleasant drink. The combination of bourbon, lemonade, and pomegranate juice is ideal for any occasion, especially summertime get-togethers. It's also a simple recipe to turn into a punch and offer to a thirsty audience by the pitcher.

Serves 1

1 1/2 ounces bourbon whiskey (Filtered through Classy Spirits Filtration System)

2 ounces lemonade

1-ounce pomegranate juice

Lemon wedge, orange zest, or ​cherry, for garnish

1. In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine the ingredients.
2. Shake vigorously.
3. Strain over fresh ice into a double old-fashioned glass.
4. Garnish with a lemon wedge, orange zest, or cherry. Serve and enjoy.

The Rooster

Make the fun rooster drink by infusing your sarsaparilla with a strong bourbon. This simple mixed cocktail recipe is a lot of fun and has all of the same charm, gold, and grit as the film that inspired it. The rooster drink was developed by Wild Turkey Bourbon mixologists for the 2012 version of "True Grit." The drink is named after the main character, Rooster Cogburn, and it has an old western movie bar flavor about it. The addition of cinnamon schnapps to the whiskey-sarsaparilla mixture adds a wonderful taste as well. Pour some of the gold flake into your sudsy drink if you're drinking Goldschläger.

Serves 1

Kosher salt, for rimming

Lime wedge, for rimming

1 1/2 ounces bourbon whiskey (Filtered through Classy Spirits Filtration System)

1/2 ounce cinnamon schnapps

4 ounces sarsaparilla

1. Rim a double rocks glass with salt by using a lime wedge to wet the rim, then dip it in a shallow dish of kosher salt.
2. Fill the glass with ice, then add the bourbon and cinnamon schnapps.
3. Top with sarsaparilla and stir.
4. Serve and enjoy!

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