How To Order Bourbon Like A Pro (2023 Updated) (2024)

FAQs

How do you order top shelf bourbon? ›

“Neat” or “On the Rocks”

Most whiskey connoisseurs will claim the best way to order a glass of bourbon is “neat.” This means it is served in a snifter glass at room temperature. This glass is tulip-shaped and specifically designed to help you enjoy the aroma of the whiskey while you drink it.

Ask for it “neat” if you want to sip the straight bourbon with nothing added to it. Order it “on the rocks” if you would prefer it over ice. Say the name of the bourbon first, and then this distinction.

To order a bourbon with one big ice cube, simply ask your bartender or server for a “neat” pour. This means that the liquor will be poured into your glass without any ice. You can then add one large ice cube to your drink, if desired.

Pappy is the holy grail of bourbons and very difficult to find.

AWhen ordering whiskey at a bar the most common way is to tell the bartender the type you'd like, followed by the size, and then how you'd like it served. For example you could say "I'd like a Michter's rye double on the rocks".

For a whiskey to be considered Bourbon, its mash – the mixture of grains from which the product is distilled – must contain at least 51% corn. The rest of the mash is usually filled out with rye or wheat, and malted barley.

Bourbon purists drink their juice neat- which means it's served at room temperature without anything added. It's typically poured in a rocks glass, shot glass, snifter, or Glencairn glass. This is the preferred method for seasoned whiskey drinkers, but it's a great way to get the real deal from a bottle of bourbon.

Straight out of the cask, it might be up to 65 percent alcohol by volume, though it is typically then diluted to about 40 percent before bottling. Adding a few drops of water would therefore continue to increase the concentration of guaiacol molecules at the surface, potentially improving the taste.

What it is: A spirit or a co*cktail that is poured over ice cubes in a straight-walled, flat-bottomed glass. Some liquors, like blended Scotches, gin and high-proof Bourbon benefit from the chilling and dilution that ice gives to open up its flavors and aromas. Say: “Bourbon on the rocks, please.”

Do you drink bourbon neat or on the rocks? ›

Straight or neat is the best way to enjoy bourbon and let all the subtle intricacies of the aromas and flavors truly come together. While often used interchangeably, there's a subtle difference between neat and straight. Neat means that you don't add any water or ice.

A “neat” drink is a pure spirit, poured into a glass with no other ingredients added, not even ice. Whiskey is a very common spirit to drink neat, but that's different from a shot. A whiskey neat is usually two ounces, not chilled, poured directly into a NEAT glass.

Longbranch launched in 2018, two years after McConaughey was named creative director at the Wild Turkey Distillery. As a nod to his Texas roots, this eight-year-old bourbon is filtered through mesquite charcoal to give it a bit of a smoky finish while still retaining those familiar Wild Turkey flavor characteristics.

There's some mythology to the shaken vs. stirred debate, which in some places you'll see as claims that gin and whiskey co*cktails should be stirred because shaking will “bruise” the spirit, hurting its flavors in some way, but this is primarily pseudoscientific at best.

A bourbon must be distilled at no more than 160 proof, or 80% alcohol by volume. Jack is well under that. It comes over the still at 140 proof, or 70% alcohol.

Bourbon does not need air, but it will change over time if left unsealed. The oxygen in the air will interact with the bourbon, causing it to take on a different flavor. If you want to keep your bourbon tasting the same, it is best to keep it sealed in an airtight container.

Dirty. © Liquor. This refers to an alcoholic drink, usually a co*cktail in which the colour and taste is changed slightly by adding different ingredients to these. For instance, a Dirty Martini is all about adding bar olive juice so that the clarity is diluted and it tastes comparatively salty.

What is the number 1 rated bourbon? ›

Kentucky Hug

A dessert made from a flaky cornmeal-based pastry that is topped with a bourbon-cream icing and crushed nuts.

Wheat bourbons tend to be softer and smoother than those made with rye. Water also plays a role in smoothness. Bourbon must be bottled at no less than 80 proof, which is 40% alcohol by volume. Some brands may bottle their bourbon at a higher proof, but this will generally make it less smooth.

A shot of whisky, tequila, or vodka, when served neat in a shot glass, is often accompanied by a "chaser" (a mild drink consumed after a shot of hard liquor) or a "water back" (a separate glass of water). These terms commingle as well; it is common in many locales to hear a "beer back" ordered as the chaser to a shot.

It does not get much easier than this mixed drink. Really, the name says it all: it's bourbon and water. It's also often called "bourbon and branch," referring to either the stream of water that flows into your bar glass or the branch of a river near a distillery.

May 31, 2018. Wine has Sommeliers. Beer has Cicerones. And now, bourbon has Stewards.

What Bourbon does Jon Wick drink? Keanu Reeves' character definitely has expensive taste, from stylish cars to flashy weaponry, and of course his drink of choice. John Wick is seen drinking a bottle of Blanton's at the Continental hotel, following a good old fashioned gunfight.

A smooth pour that will keep you coming back for more. Russell's Reserve: At 90 proof this bourbon is very clean and crisp. Fruits fill the palate and has very little to no burn. Russell's reserve has quickly become one of my favorite sipping bourbons.

Spiritless Kentucky 74

The Spiritless Kentucky 74 is one of the greatest smooth whiskey you'll ever have. You may now reduce your alcohol intake without missing out on the taste of whiskey since it has the same authentic flavors as whiskey but without the unpleasant effects of alcohol.

A standard pour of bourbon is 1.5 ounces, which is equivalent to three shots. For an adult male weighing 160 pounds, four shots of straight bourbon are required to feel the effects of alcohol.

How do you drink Blanton's? ›

This is a classic bourbon whiskey, so you don't need to do anything dramatic, such as mix it with a co*cktail. Indeed, that would be the wrong thing to do. With this, the best way to drink it is to pout it into your favorite whiskey glass and let it sit for ten minutes. At that point, you're ready to go.

Top Shelf: Bottles on the highest shelves behind a bar. Though there's no hard rule as to cost, these tend to be bottles that would retail for $50 or more in a store. Mid Shelf: Bottles on the lower half of the shelf behind a bartender. With liquor, this would usually be bottles that fall in the $25–50 range.

For House, the top-shelf liquor basics include good bourbon, rye, tequila, gin, vodka, Scotch whisky, an amaro, and bitters (both potable and aromatic), along with small bottles of sweet and dry vermouth, which she recommended keeping in the refrigerator.