Best Bourbon Cocktails — 8 Recipes to Make at Home

Ingredients

• 60ml bourbon
• 1 sugar cube (or 5ml simple syrup)
• 2–3 dashes Angostura bitters
• splash of water
• large ice cube
• orange peel and cherry to garnish

Method

1. 1.Place the sugar cube in a rocks glass.
2. 2.Add bitters and a small splash of water.
3. 3.Muddle until the sugar dissolves.
4. 4.Add the bourbon.
5. 5.Add a large ice cube and stir for 20–30 seconds.
6. 6.Express an orange peel over the glass and use as garnish.
7. 7.Add a maraschino cherry if desired.

Ingredients

• 60ml bourbon or rye whiskey
• 30ml sweet vermouth
• 2 dashes Angostura bitters
• ice
• maraschino cherry to garnish

Method

1. 1.Add bourbon, sweet vermouth and bitters to a mixing glass.
2. 2.Fill with ice and stir for 30–35 seconds until well chilled.
3. 3.Strain into a chilled coupe or Martini glass.
4. 4.Garnish with a maraschino cherry (Luxardo, not the bright red variety).

Ingredients

• 50ml bourbon
• 30ml fresh lemon juice
• 20ml simple syrup
• 1 egg white (or 15ml aquafaba)
• ice
• Angostura bitters and lemon wheel to garnish

Method

1. 1.Add bourbon, lemon juice, syrup and egg white to a shaker.
2. 2.Dry shake (no ice) for 15 seconds to emulsify the egg white.
3. 3.Add ice and shake again for 10 seconds.
4. 4.Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice or a chilled coupe.
5. 5.Add a few drops of Angostura bitters on the foam for garnish.
6. 6.Add a lemon wheel.

Ingredients

• 60ml bourbon
• 15ml simple syrup
• 8–10 fresh mint leaves
• crushed ice
• mint sprig to garnish

Method

1. 1.Add mint leaves and simple syrup to the julep cup.
2. 2.Gently press the mint with a muddler to bruise it — don't shred it.
3. 3.Add the bourbon.
4. 4.Fill the cup with crushed ice and stir vigorously.
5. 5.Add more crushed ice to form a dome above the rim.
6. 6.Garnish with a large mint sprig, tapping it gently to release its aroma.

Ingredients

• 45ml bourbon
• 30ml Campari
• 30ml sweet vermouth
• large ice cube
• orange peel to garnish

Method

1. 1.Combine bourbon, Campari and sweet vermouth in a mixing glass.
2. 2.Fill with ice and stir for 30 seconds.
3. 3.Strain into a rocks glass over a large ice cube, or into a chilled coupe.
4. 4.Express an orange peel over the glass and use as garnish.

Ingredients

• 45ml bourbon
• 30ml fresh grapefruit juice
• 15ml honey syrup (1:1)
• ice
• grapefruit twist to garnish

Method

1. 1.Make honey syrup by mixing equal parts honey and warm water; cool before using.
2. 2.Add bourbon, grapefruit juice and honey syrup to a shaker.
3. 3.Fill with ice and shake for 12 seconds.
4. 4.Double strain into a chilled coupe.
5. 5.Garnish with a grapefruit twist.

Ingredients

• 60ml blended Scotch (or bourbon)
• 22ml fresh lemon juice
• 22ml honey-ginger syrup
• 7.5ml Islay single malt (for the float)
• ice
• candied ginger to garnish

Method

1. 1.Make honey-ginger syrup: simmer equal parts honey and water with sliced ginger for 5 minutes, strain and cool.
2. 2.Add blended Scotch (or bourbon), lemon juice and honey-ginger syrup to a shaker with ice.
3. 3.Shake for 12 seconds.
4. 4.Strain over fresh ice in a rocks glass.
5. 5.Float the Islay single malt by pouring gently over the back of a spoon.
6. 6.Garnish with a piece of candied ginger on a cocktail pick.

Ingredients

• 25ml bourbon
• 25ml Aperol
• 25ml Amaro Nonino
• 25ml fresh lemon juice
• ice

Method

1. 1.Measure all four ingredients in equal parts into a shaker.
2. 2.Add ice and shake hard for 10–12 seconds.
3. 3.Double strain into a chilled coupe.
4. 4.No garnish needed.