6 Guidelines for Drinking Bourbon Accurately

America’s homegrown whiskey has become probably the most standard pours around. And with so many bottles flooding the market, the backbar has turned 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 the country’s most outstanding bourbon selections, shares his guidelines for picking, sipping and mixing America’s favorite spirit.

Read the Label

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

“Straight is what you need to look for in the beginning once you’re searching the cabinets,” he says. “It means they’re not adding anything to or adulterating the product, so that 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 simply won’t always find it. And especially if it’s from a newer producer, that usually signifies that bourbon is on the youthful side. By law, straight bourbon should be aged for not less than two years.

Seek Out Value

“Should you’re spending more than $forty, you’re probably doing it wrong,” says Williams. Of course, when you’re a collector looking for extra-aged Pappy Van Winkle, expect to pay a premium. However for these just starting out, affordable bourbons abound. Williams recommends Wild Turkey 101 (“wonderful juice at a reasonable worth point,”) and bottlings from Four Roses and Heaven Hill (brands from the latter embrace Henry McKenna, Evan Williams and J.T.S. Brown, among others).

Skip the Shot Glass

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

A shot glass won’t enhance this experience, he says, but a glass with a broad base and tapered top “to capture 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 will not be a dealbreaker whatsoever.” The present development for uncut, unfiltered, barrel-power whiskeys means that most bourbons actually 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.” Nevertheless, he’s wary of small, watery pieces of ice that dilute a spirit too quickly. “I prefer to take my time, and I desire a similar experience from once I start to once I finish. Solid ice isn’t a bad idea.” For dwelling use, he recommends silicone molds to freeze sizable chunks that chill successfully however melt slowly.

Attempt an Old Fashioned

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

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

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