I will be the first to admit that I typically do not like whiskey. It is usually too strong or too harsh or just not my thing. However, I absolutely love these bourbon cocktails.
That is my testimonial for all the non-whiskey lovers because bourbon is the perfect middle ground. It is technically whiskey but it is a whole lot sweeter thanks to being made with at least 51% corn.
Imagine charred oak barrel flavor mixed with a sugary smoothness that just hits right every time. Just give it a try because I dare you not to like it.
1. Best Bourbon Old-Fashioned
I just need to declare that the old-fashioned is one of the very first recorded cocktail definitions, with a history reaching way back to 1806.
Traditionally, this classic is created with sugar, a decent glug of bourbon or whiskey, water, and bitters. This is definitely the kind of drink you take your time to both prepare and sip slowly.
Since the drink has lovely orange notes thanks to the bitters, it’s perfect when finished with a simple piece of orange peel for garnish.
Ingredients: simple syrup, Angostura bitters, orange bitters, bourbon, ice cubes, orange peel & cherries (for garnish)
2. Bourbon Lemonade
Lemonade is already a yummy summer beverage all by itself. But honestly, when you mix in bourbon to this equation, it instantly becomes extra special.
If you use pre-made lemonade, the preparation is a total breeze. The best part of this bourbon lemonade is that you can mix in all sorts of fruit to the pitcher, including citrus or fresh berries for sweetness.
Just muddle the fruit a little before adding the liquids and allow everything to sit in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.
Ingredients: pre-made lemonade, bourbon, fruits, ice cubes
3. The John Collins Cocktail
I bet you’ve tried, or at least heard of, the classic Tom Collins. It’s a delightful blend of gin, simple syrup, lemon juice, and club soda, first put to paper in 1876.
While Tom is often called summery and botanical, John is deep and full of vanilla and caramel notes. Both are wonderfully refreshing, but John definitely offers more warmth.
Ingredients: bourbon, lemon juice, simple syrup or superfine sugar, ice cubes, club soda, lemon slices (for garnish)
4. Bourbon Sidecar
A traditional Sidecar is made with Cognac and citrus, giving it a taste that’s both sweet and tart. You can think of this bourbon version like a lighter take on the whiskey sour.
However, while the sour usually only asks for lemon juice, the Sidecar adds Cointreau to the blend. That addition makes this boozier and provides a mellow citrus flavor.
Ingredients : bourbon, Cointreau, lemon juice, simple syrup, lemon or orange twist (for garnish)
5. The Best Boulevardier
This is a stunning blend of sweet Vermouth, bourbon, and Campari. Because of this, it’s a very spirit heavy drink, so if super boozy cocktails aren’t your thing, you can probably skip this one.
But if you appreciate the classic Negroni, I think you’ll go absolutely nuts for this deeper, more caramelly take. The Boulevardier is a touch darker and best enjoyed after a long day.
I always like mine on the rocks with a squeeze of orange for freshness and a long orange peel for fragrance.
Ingredients: bourbon, Campari, sweet Vermouth, orange peel (for garnish)
6. Mint Julep
Guess what? The mint julep is the official drink of the Kentucky Derby. It’s true! And they serve over 120,000 of them during that one weekend alone.
With a drink that popular, we’d be silly not to give it a whirl, right? I already mentioned that the bourbon smash is a combination of the julep and a whiskey sour.
So, while the latter offers the lemon, the flavor of this drink is all about the mint.
Ingredients: mint leaves, simple syrup, crushed ice, bourbon, mint sprig (for garnish)
7. Classic Bourbon Manhattan Cocktail
The Manhattan is one of the most straightforward cocktail recipes, needing just three ingredients. Just like New York City, it’s intense, rich, and full of character.
You’ll simply add two parts bourbon to one part sweet Vermouth and bitters in a shaker, then stir until they’re combined. Easy peasy!.
Ingredients: bourbon, sweet Vermouth, Angostura bitters, orange peel & cherries (for garnish)
8. Blizzard Cranberry Bourbon Cocktail
If you are looking for festive cocktail recipes to serve at your next holiday party, this drink is totally for you.
First off, it’s loaded with sweet and tart cranberries, which are synonymous with the festive season. Then, you’ll incorporate simple syrup and lemon juice to enhance the fruity berries and provide a hint of sweetness to balance out the sour taste.
Finally, I suggest using a decent bourbon that you would enjoy alone. Otherwise, it might be too overpowering.
Ingredients: bourbon, unsweetened cranberry juice, lemon juice, simple syrup, lemon twist & fresh cranberries (for garnish)
9. The Bourbon Sour
It should come as no shock to hear that this classic bourbon or whiskey sour recipe is loaded with plenty of lemon juice.
Depending on your tastes, you may want to up the lemon juice for this particular recipe since bourbon is noticeably sweeter than whiskey.
I highly recommend incorporating maple syrup, as it pairs perfectly with the bourbon’s vanilla notes.
Ingredients: bourbon, lemon juice, maple syrup (or simple syrup), orange peel & cherries (for garnish)
10. The Revolver Cocktail
This cocktail was created in San Francisco by a bartender who had a few too many bottles of Bulleit bourbon that he needed rid of. So, he came up with a twisted version of a Manhattan.
It has smoky-sweet bourbon and a flamed orange peel that you can smell across the bar. And that’s why it’s called the Revolver.
Ingredients: dry bourbon, coffee liqueur, orange bitters, ice, orange peel (for garnish)
11. Bourbon Apple Cider Hot Toddy
As the weather gets colder, the last thing I want to drink at night is a glass full of ice. I think a combination of hot bourbon, lemon, and honey is a great way to fight the chill.
When you add a splash of apple cider for sweetness, it not only warms you up but is also a great defense against any nasty winter bugs.
Ingredients: bourbon, honey, lemon juice, hot water, apple cider
12. Black Demure
I’m here to tell you there’s absolutely nothing demure about this bourbon cocktail. The name actually relates to the use of Crème de Mûre, which is a vibrant blackberry liqueur.
This drink is very sweet and often enjoyed as an after-dinner digestif. Crème de Cassis would be a good alternative, although the flavors are slightly different.
Ingredients: bourbon, Crème de Mûre, Cointreau, lemon juice, simple syrup, fresh blackberries & orange peel (for garnish)
13. Easy Bourbon Eggnog
Eggnog, which is also called ‘milk punch’ or ‘egg milk punch’, is one of those drinks that people either love or hate. Filled with lots of milk, cream, sugar, and plenty of eggs, this cocktail is thick, creamy, and almost like a boozy milkshake.
While it’s often made without alcohol, brandy is typically the spirit of choice, as are dark rum and Cognac. But since this is a list of bourbon cocktails, I think you can guess what’s the main feature in this one.
Ingredients: bourbon, eggnog
14. Raspberry Love Cocktail
Adding raspberry to bourbon might sound a little odd, but the sweetness of the spirit actually pairs beautifully with sweet-tart raspberries.
Because of the vanilla and orange flavors, raspberry fits in like a dream. You’ll lighten up this drink with citrus soda, which makes it bubbly and full of clean, zesty goodness.
Ingredients: Chambord raspberry liqueur, lemon-lime soda, bourbon, ice cubes, fresh raspberries (for garnish)
15. Kentucky Mule Recipe
The classic Moscow mule is traditionally served in a copper mug. It’s a mix of vodka, lime juice, and ginger beer.
The recipe is super easy to modify with tequila, rum, or even bourbon. Naturally, since this one is called a Kentucky mule, you know it’s overflowing with the good stuff.
I’m a huge fan of Jefferson’s Reserve because of its dreamy honeyed fruit and caramel taste.
Ingredients: bourbon, ginger beer, lime juice, crushed iced, fresh mint (for garnish
16. Ginger Rabbit
This cocktail is surprisingly complex because it is so much more than just lemon, ginger, and bourbon.
First off, you’ll start by making black tea and anise simple syrup to provide a touch of spice, which results in a drink that is a bit like spiked iced tea. To that, you’ll incorporate Crème Yvette, which is a spirit created using vanilla, honey, orange peel, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, cassis, and parma violet petals.
It’s pretty sweet, and the violet fragrance and taste are a lot. With that in mind, if you don’t enjoy Parma Violet candies, you probably won’t like this drink.
Ingredients: bourbon, simple syrup, Crème Yvette, ginger, Angostura bitters, lemon peel
17. Bourbon Renewal Recipe
I wanted to remind you that I previously said the Black Demure would be delicious with Crème de Cassis. Well, others had the same thought, and they came up with this rich berry-flavored bourbon cocktail.
It’s definitely bourbon-forward more than anything else. However, the blend of bitters, berry liqueur, and lemon juice offers enough of a cut through the alcohol.
I suggest trying it without the simple syrup first, then adjusting the sweetness to your liking.
Ingredients: bourbon, lemon juice, Angostura bitters, Crème de Cassis, simple syrup
18. Bourbon Smash
This cocktail is the ideal combination of a mint julep and a whiskey sour. And it gets its name from how you make it: muddling fresh mint with lemon and sugar, then incorporating your spirit of choice.
It is very similar to the recipe for the Bourbon Sour, with the key difference being the mint. Plus, this version is poured over the rocks and is not meant to be strained.
Ingredients: mint leaves, lemon wedges, bourbon, maple syrup (or simple syrup), crushed ice
19. Old Fashioned Paloma (Bourbon and Grapefruit Cocktail)
The classic Paloma is a mix of tequila, grapefruit juice or soda, and lime juice. This bourbon twist gives it more sweetness and a depth of flavor, beautifully evening out the zing of the grapefruit juice.
You can control the flavors by utilizing citrus soda and grapefruit juice, or simply go for grapefruit soda if you prefer. It’s tasty either way.
Ingredients: bourbon, Angostura bitters, grapefruit soda (or grapefruit juice and citrus soda), lime wedge (for garnish)
20. Maker’s Mark® Man O’ War
The Man O’War is another quintessential Kentucky Derby cocktail. In fact, it’s named for the legendary horse, Man O’War, who won 20 out of 21 races in 1920.
And because the Man O’War was a Kentucky native, this drink should only be made with Kentucky bourbon. But don’t worry—I won’t tell if you don’t have any.
Ingredients: bourbon, Orange Curaçao or Cointreau, sweet Vermouth, lemon juice, cherry juice (optional), maraschino cherries (for garnish)
21. The Brown Derby
I know what you’re thinking—no, this isn’t another Kentucky Derby cocktail. Though its origins are a little fuzzy.
Some sources say it’s named for the Brown Derby restaurant in old Hollywood. It has been featured in a variety of publications with different names over the years.
But whether you refer to it as the Brown Derby or the De Rigueur, it’s just as delicious.
Ingredients: grapefruit juice, bourbon, honey simple syrup
22. Bourbon Lemon Drop Martini
I love lemon drop candies—they’re lip-smackingly delicious and definitely the kind of treat to get your juices flowing. While this drink is decidedly sour, it’s not too overwhelming thanks to the balanced Limoncello and sweet bourbon.
If you find that sour mixes are overly bitter, I encourage you to use the recipe provided to make your own. Then you can simply adjust the sweetness as needed.
Ingredients: mint leaves, sour mix, bourbon, Limoncello, lemon slices & mint sprigs (for garnish)
23. Bourbon Sweet Tea Cocktail
Bourbon is a southern fave, and you can’t get more southern than sweet tea.
Simply add bourbon sour mash whiskey, citrus bitters, and honey simple syrup to your go-to iced tea recipe and you’re all set.
If you like sweet tea, you can skip the honey. Alternatively, you can use a honey-infused bourbon if you can find it.
Ingredients: honey simple syrup, bourbon, citrus bitters, Arnold Palmer Tea, ice cubes
