6 Guidelines for Drinking Bourbon Correctly

America’s homegrown whiskey has turn out to be probably the most popular pours around. And with so many bottles flooding the market, the backbar has turned into a crowded landscape, one that might easily overwhelm the common drinker.

So we discovered 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 rules for picking, sipping and mixing America’s favorite spirit.

Read the Label

The 1st step is to learn to decode bourbon labels, says Williams. “Bourbon is a really broad class,” he says. “It’s important to know what the wording means.” For example, he always looks for the phrase straight bourbon.

“Straight is what you need to look for in the beginning if 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 just won’t always discover it. And especially if it’s from a newer producer, that usually implies that bourbon is on the younger side. By law, straight bourbon must be aged for not less than two years.

Seek Out Worth

“Should you’re spending more than $40, you’re probably doing it flawed,” says Williams. After all, should you’re a collector looking for further-aged Pappy Van Winkle, expect to pay a premium. But for those just starting out, affordable bourbons abound. Williams recommends Wild Turkey one hundred and one (“wonderful juice at a reasonable price point,”) and bottlings from Four Roses and Heaven Hill (brands from the latter embody Henry McKenna, Evan Williams and J.T.S. Brown, among others).

Skip the Shot Glass

While the flavors of bourbon will be quite different from Scotch whisky, Williams recommends sipping a neat pour from a Glencairn glass, a curved vessel typically reserved for scotch. “Aroma is a large part of your bourbon expertise,” says Williams. “You need a glass that permits 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 experience, he says, however 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 generally uses Old Fashioned or rocks glasses with a similar, slightly tapered shape.

Don’t Be Afraid of Dilution

“Water is your friend, and don’t be afraid of it,” says Williams. “Folks think there’s only one way to drink bourbon, and that’s wrongheaded. Water just isn’t a dealbreaker whatsoever.” The current development for uncut, unfiltered, barrel-energy whiskeys signifies 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.” Nonetheless, he’s wary of small, watery items of ice that dilute a spirit too quickly. “I prefer to take my time, and I need a comparable expertise from after I start to once I finish. Stable ice is never a bad idea.” For residence use, he recommends silicone molds to freeze sizable chunks that chill effectively however melt slowly.

Attempt an Old Fashioned

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

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

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