6 Guidelines for Drinking Bourbon Accurately

America’s homegrown whiskey has become one of the fashionable pours around. And with so many bottles flooding the market, the backbar has turned right into a crowded panorama, one that could simply overwhelm the common drinker.

So we found a spirit guide. Beau Williams, the owner of Kansas City’s Julep, lauded for having one of many country’s most outstanding bourbon choices, shares his guidelines for picking, sipping and mixing America’s favorite spirit.

Read the Label

Step one is to learn to decode bourbon labels, says Williams. “Bourbon is a really broad class,” he says. “It’s necessary to know what the wording means.” For instance, he always looks for the phrase straight bourbon.

“Straight is what you need to look for at first when you’re searching the shelves,” he says. “It means they’re not adding anything to or adulterating the product, so you’re getting the real deal.”

He additionally recommends looking for the age statement on the label, although he’s quick to note that you won’t always find it. And especially if it’s from a newer producer, that often implies that bourbon is on the younger side. By law, straight bourbon have to be aged for at least years.

Seek Out Value

“If you’re spending more than $forty, you’re probably doing it wrong,” says Williams. Of course, in the event you’re a collector looking for extra-aged Pappy Van Winkle, count on to pay a premium. However for those just starting out, affordable bourbons abound. Williams recommends Wild Turkey a hundred and one (“wonderful juice at a reasonable value level,”) and bottlings from Four Roses and Heaven Hill (brands from the latter include Henry McKenna, Evan Williams and J.T.S. Brown, amongst others).

Skip the Shot Glass

While the flavors of bourbon can be quite totally different from Scotch whisky, Williams recommends sipping a neat pour from a Glencairn glass, a curved vessel typically reserved for scotch. “Aroma is a huge part of your bourbon expertise,” says Williams. “You need a glass that allows you to capture the aroma—caramel-y, nutty, etc.—to get you excited and cue up the rest of your senses.”

A shot glass won’t improve this expertise, he says, but a glass with a broad base and tapered top “to seize aromas and funnel them upwards” will do the trick. In lieu of a Glencairn, he typically uses Old Fashioned or rocks glasses with an identical, slightly tapered shape.

Do not Be Afraid of Dilution

“Water is your friend, and don’t be afraid of it,” says Williams. “People think there’s only one way to drink bourbon, and that’s wrongheaded. Water is not a dealbreaker whatsoever.” The current development for uncut, unfiltered, barrel-energy whiskeys means that most bourbons truly benefit from some dilution, he says. “It takes off the heat and spice notes and lets the sweetness shine through.”

Upgrade Your Ice

“Bourbon has big, bold flavors,” says Williams. “A little bit of ice and water won’t kill the thing.” However, he’s wary of small, watery pieces of ice that dilute a spirit too quickly. “I prefer to take my time, and I want a similar experience from when I start to once I finish. Strong ice is never a bad idea.” For dwelling use, he recommends silicone molds to freeze sizable chunks that chill successfully but soften slowly.

Try an Old Fashioned

“An Old Fashioned can really turn people on to how wonderful a bourbon expertise can be without drinking it on its own. Ice, a little bit of sugar and bitters can help bridge the flavor profiles, make it more palatable.” The goal, he says, is to accentuate the flavors of bourbon somewhat than mask them, and “the basic Old Fashioned does that wonderfully.”

“There’s no improper way to eat bourbon,” says Williams. The only mistake is “not enjoying it while you’re doing it.

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