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Bourbon

Bourbon is an American whiskey made from a mash of at least 51% corn and aged in new charred oak barrels, which gives it a naturally sweet, vanilla-and-caramel character. It is typically rounder and less smoky than Scotch. Its sweetness makes it a natural fit for cocktails balanced with citrus or bitters.

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Common uses

base spirit for stirred whiskey cocktails
base spirit for whiskey sours
sipped neat or on the rocks

Buying & storage

Keeps more or less indefinitely: Alcohol is preserving it. An open bottle keeps for a very long time, though aromatics do fade slowly.

Buying: straight bourbon aged at least two years offers noticeably more character than the youngest bottom-shelf options

Storage: keeps indefinitely, store upright away from light

In depth

Understanding bourbon

How it is made, where it comes from, what it pairs with, and how it behaves in an alcohol-free drink.

How it's made

Bourbon must be at least 51% corn and aged in new charred oak barrels — the 'new' is what makes it distinctive, since a fresh barrel gives up far more vanilla, caramel and colour than a reused one. Rye whiskey follows the same rules with rye in place of corn, which is why it tastes drier and spicier.

Origin

An American whiskey style, legally tied to production in the United States and new charred-oak ageing.

What it pairs with

Corn sweetness and barrel vanilla pair with bitters, citrus peel, sugar, coffee and stone fruit. It is the base spirit that most rewards a single aromatic garnish rather than a complicated build.

In alcohol-free drinks

Difficult to replace convincingly: the vanilla-and-oak profile has no close alcohol-free equivalent
Strong black tea plus a little vanilla syrup captures the tannin and sweetness, though not the warmth

How to build a balanced mocktail →

Recipes