Bourbon
Corn-based American whiskey aged in charred new oak barrels.
Bourbon is an American whiskey made from a grain mash that must be at least 51% corn, distilled to no more than 160 proof, and aged in charred new oak barrels. Those three requirements produce a spirit that leans sweet and round, with notes of vanilla, caramel, and toasted oak pulled directly from the wood. Most bourbon is made in Kentucky, though federal law only requires it be made somewhere in the United States. A standard bottling runs 80 to 100 proof; bottled-in-bond bourbons are 100 proof, four years old, and from a single distillery. Cocktail-grade bourbons like Buffalo Trace, Old Forester, and Wild Turkey 101 deliver enough backbone to stand up to stirring, shaking, and sugar without disappearing.
History
The name comes from Bourbon County, Kentucky, though most modern bourbon is distilled elsewhere in the state. Commercial production scaled up after the Civil War; the 1964 congressional resolution declaring bourbon a distinctive product of the United States cemented its legal identity.
Common uses
The backbone of the Old Fashioned, Whiskey Sour, Mint Julep, and Boulevardier.
Cocktails that use Bourbon
- Old Fashioned — The original cocktail — bourbon, sugar, bitters, and an orange peel
- Whiskey Sour — Bourbon meets lemon juice and simple syrup for a silky, frothy sour
- Boulevardier — The whiskey cousin of the Negroni — bourbon, Campari, and sweet vermouth
- Mint Julep — Crushed ice, fresh mint, and bourbon — the drink of the Kentucky Derby
- Paper Plane — Equal-parts bourbon, Aperol, Amaro Nonino, and lemon juice — perfectly balanced
- Gold Rush — Bourbon, fresh lemon, and honey syrup — simple and deeply satisfying
Substitutes
- Rye Whiskey — Drier, spicier; sharpens Old Fashioneds and Manhattans.
- Irish Whiskey — Lighter and smoother if you want a softer profile.