The Best Bourbon Cocktail Recipes - Home & Texture
Bar Recipes Bourbon Cocktail Recipes

5 Delicious Bourbon Cocktails that Showcase the Beauty of the Spirit

Sweet, savory, spicy, and mellow.

January 15, 2025 at 6:43 PM PST
Bar Recipes Bourbon Cocktail Recipes

5 Delicious Bourbon Cocktails that Showcase the Beauty of the Spirit

Sweet, savory, spicy, and mellow.

January 15, 2025 at 6:43 PM PST

No home bar is complete without a few bottles of bourbon. As the original American spirit, it’s one of the best for crafting cocktails that fit any taste preference. From sweet to savory, spicy to mellow, bourbon has the ability to shape-shift to match your mood. The key is knowing the ingredients that bring out its nuanced notes and having a few of the best bourbon cocktails on hand.

Outside of its storied history, bourbon is beloved for its rich flavor profile. Made from at least 51 percent corn, it has a sweetness and creaminess not found in other whiskies. But what makes it truly unique is the combination of grains that make up the rest of its mashbill. Whether barley, rye, or wheat, there’s lots of room for variation.

That same creativity extends to bourbon cocktails, which range in flavor, texture, and consistency. For this reason, bourbon drinks are a staple for meals, parties, or simple sipping. Ahead, we’ve gathered the best bourbon cocktails to add to your rolodex of recipes.

Best Bourbon Cocktail Recipes

old fashioned whiskey drink
Photo credit: Simple Images

Old Fashioned

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces of bourbon
  • 2 teaspoons simple syrup
  • 2 dashes bitters
  • 1 teaspoon water
  • 1 large ice cube
  • Orange slices and maraschino cherry for garnish

Instructions

  1. Add bourbon, simple syrup, bitters, and water to glass with ice and stir until well mixed.
  2. Add the large ice cube to a fresh glass.
  3. Pour drink mixture of ice.
  4. Garnish with orange slices, maraschino cherry, and enjoy.
honey bourbon smash
Photo credit: Marko Jan

Honey Bourbon Smash

Ingredients 

  • 2 ounces bourbon
  • 3/4 ounce honey simple syrup
  • Juice from 1 lemon
  • Mint leaves or rosemary sprigs for garnish

Instructions

  1. Add bourbon, honey simple syrup, and lemon juice to a cocktail shaker with ice and shake until well-mixed.
  2. Strain mixture into a glass with ice.
  3. Garnish with mint leaves or rosemary sprigs and enjoy.
whiskey sour
Photo credit: Costi Moculescu

Whiskey Sour

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces bourbon
  • 3/4 ounce lemon juice
  • 1/2 ounce simple syrup
  • 1/2 ounce egg white
  • Few dashes of  bitters for garnish

Instructions

  1. Add bourbon, lemon juice, simple syrup, and egg white to a shaker, and shake for 30 seconds or more until well combined.
  2. Add ice to the shaker and shake for an additional 20-30 seconds until well-chilled.
  3. Strain drink mixture into a glass either filled with ice or empty.
  4. Add a few dashes of bitters to top of the drink and enjoy.
Kentucky Mule
Photo credit: Bhofack2

Kentucky Mule

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces bourbon
  • 3 ounces ginger beer
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • Crushed ice
  • Mint leaves for garnish

Instructions

  1. Add bourbon, ginger beer, and lime juice to a copper mug.
  2. Fill with crushed ice and stir until well-mixed.
  3. Garnish with mint leaves and enjoy.
paper plane cocktail
Photo credit: Bhofack2

Paper Plane

Ingredients 

  • 3/4 ounce bourbon
  • 3/4 ounce Aperol
  • 3/4 ounce Amaro Nonino
  • 3/4 ounce fresh lemon juice
  • Orange twist for garnish

Instructions

  1. Add all of the ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled.
  2. Pour drink mixture into a chilled glass.
  3. Garnish with orange twist, and enjoy.

 




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