Skip to content

Top Navigation

Food & Wine Food & Wine
  • Recipes & Cooking
  • Drinks
  • Travel
  • Holidays & Events
  • News
  • F&W Classic
  • Video
  • Kitchen & Home
  • F&W Pro

Profile Menu

Your Profile

Your Profile

  • Join Now
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Wine Club
  • Podcast
  • Logout
Login
Subscribe Subscribe
Pin FB

Explore Food & Wine

Food & Wine Food & Wine
  • Explore

    Explore

    • F&W Cooks

      Food and Wine presents a new network of food pros delivering the most cookable recipes and delicious ideas online. Read More Next
    • Our 22 Best Crock Pot and Slow-Cooker Recipes

      Looking to amp up your beef stew but unsure where to start? A slow cooker can can take your comfort food to the next level. Read More Next
    • 50 Affordable Wines You Can Always Trust

      We’ve assembled a list of 50 of the world’s most reliable, inexpensive wines – bottles that offer amazing quality for their price year in and year out. Read More Next
  • Recipes & Cooking

    Recipes & Cooking

    See All Recipes & Cooking
    • Chicken Recipes
    • Comfort Food Recipes
    • Breakfast & Brunch Recipes
    • Salad Recipes
    • Dessert Recipes
    • Vegetable Recipes
    • Pasta & Noodle Recipes
    • Chefs
    • Meat & Poultry Recipes
    • Soup Recipes
    • Appetizer Recipes
    • Side Dishes
    • Fruit Recipes
    • Seafood Recipes
    • Special Diets
    • Cooking Techniques
    • Steal This Trick
  • Drinks

    Drinks

    See All Drinks
    • Wine
    • Cocktails & Spirits
    • Coffee Drinks & Recipes
    • Juices
    • Beer & Brews
    • Champagne & Sparkling Wine
    • Tea Recipes & Ideas
  • Travel

    Travel

    See All Travel
    • Wine Regions
    • Restaurants
  • Holidays & Events

    Holidays & Events

    See All Holidays & Events
    • Valentine's Day
    • Halloween
    • Passover
    • Hanukkah
    • Christmas
    • Gifts
    • Super Bowl
    • Easter
    • Thanksgiving
    • New Year's Eve
    • Holiday Entertaining
  • News
  • F&W Classic
  • Video
  • Kitchen & Home
  • F&W Pro

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Your Profile

Your Profile

  • Join Now
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Wine Club
  • Podcast
  • Logout
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. Home Chevron Right
  2. Cocktails & Spirits Chevron Right
  3. Bourbon Cocktails

Bourbon Cocktails

By Food & Wine
Updated March 05, 2018
Skip gallery slides
Save FB Tweet
Credit: Savanna Sturkie
Bourbon is one of our favorites spirits, and these cocktails put this whiskey in the spotlight. From a refreshing bourbon fizz to a sophisticated update on an old-fashioned, these drinks are refreshing, smooth and delicious. Try a maple-infused cocktail for a seasonal fall drink, or cool off with a Texas-inspired grapefruit sipper on hot summer days. Step up your bartending game with one of these easy, memorable cocktails recipes at your next party.
Start Slideshow

1 of 30

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Morrison Mule

Credit: © Eva Kolenko
Go to Recipe

In memory of Jim Morrison's stay at the historic Pontchartrain Hotel in New Orleans (and his affinity for whiskey), Benton Bourgeois of the hotel's Hot Tin bar offers this take on a classic Moscow Mule with bourbon and local Peychaud's Aperitivo. It's perfect for easy drinking any time of year.

1 of 30

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 30

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Maple-Bourbon Smash

Credit: Michael Turek
Go to Recipe

Robb Turner uses his richly flavored dark amber syrup to make this riff on an Old-Fashioned cocktail.

  • Recipes with Maple Syrup

2 of 30

3 of 30

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Rock 'n' Rolla

Credit: © David Malosh
Go to Recipe

"I love this drink because it is immensely accessible and easy to make," says Bay Area bartender Chris Lane. "Really it's just a bourbon sour with a little flourish of spice and apple." Lane's inspiration for the drink: a local biodynamic apple cider.

3 of 30

Advertisement

4 of 30

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Alpine Manhattan

Go to Recipe

Herbalist Shae Whitney makes a lovely pine syrup from fresh pine needles. She uses it in this strong and wonderfully fragrant drink.

  • Beautiful Cocktails

4 of 30

5 of 30

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Palmer Park Swizzle

Credit: © Eva Kolenko
Go to Recipe

The ultimate Southern refresher, this cocktail from the Bayou Bar at the Pontchartrain Hotel in New Orleans combines tea-infused bourbon, lime juice and mint for a boozy take on iced tea.

5 of 30

6 of 30

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Vanilla Old-Fashioned

Go to Recipe

"We use Madagascan or Tahitian vanilla beans in our cocktails," says Thomas Wilson. "They are extraordinarily expensive but really make the drink."

  • Recipes with Vanilla

6 of 30

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 30

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Bufala Negra

Credit: © Wendell T. Webber
Go to Recipe

At The Oakroom in Louisville, where Al Capone regularly played poker in the 1920s, the bartenders use bourbon from Buffalo Trace Distillery in nearby Frankfort, Kentucky.

  • Cocktails for the Rocks Glass

7 of 30

8 of 30

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

The Big Texan Bourbon-and-Grapefruit Cocktail

Credit: © Jody Horton
Go to Recipe

While not as well known as gin and juice, bourbon and juices makes a refreshing combination.

  • Grapefruit Recipes

8 of 30

9 of 30

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

The Bobby Boucher

Credit: © Tina Rupp
Go to Recipe

This drink is based on the 1930s Bobby Burns. Changing the Scotch in the original to bourbon made the drink Southern; trading some of the vermouth for cherry Heering made it a little sweet, says mixologist John Coltharp.

  • Southern Cocktails

9 of 30

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 30

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Commodore 64

Credit: © Tina Rupp
Go to Recipe

This predinner drink at is Jason Chan's orange-infused variation on the Commodore No. 2 (bourbon, crème de cacao, lemon juice and grenadine) from the 1935 Old Waldorf-Astoria Bar Book.

  • Best Cocktail Bars in the U.S.

10 of 30

11 of 30

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Kentucky Cousin

Go to Recipe

Though it was created in Minneapolis, the Kentucky Cousin has distinctly Southern components: mint, bourbon and iced tea.

  • Mint Julep Recipes

11 of 30

12 of 30

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Southern Cucumber

Credit: © Tina Rupp
Go to Recipe

Huston Davis believes muddled cucumber gives this drink a refreshing quality reminiscent of fresh-squeezed lemonade.

  • Lemonade Recipes

12 of 30

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

13 of 30

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Apples to Oranges

Go to Recipe

People who taste this citrusy cocktail almost always guess that it contains apples or oranges or some other fruit, but never the actual ingredients: cucumber and grapefruit.

  • Wine Cocktails

13 of 30

14 of 30

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Blueberry-Maple Caiprissimo

Credit: © Wendell T. Webber
Go to Recipe

A blueberry-rosemary flan led to this cocktail's unlikely mix of flavors.

  • Summer Fruit Cocktails

14 of 30

15 of 30

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Wager

Go to Recipe

After winning a bet with a guest about whether bourbon has to be made in Bourbon County, Kentucky (it doesn't), Jeff Grdinich designed this cocktail with Bulleit Bourbon from Anderson County.

  • Best New Bars

15 of 30

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

16 of 30

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Bourbon Fizz

Go to Recipe

The nutty combination of amaretto and Frangelico makes this cocktail special.

  • Cocktail Recipes: Flips and Silver Fizzes

16 of 30

17 of 30

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

The Charleston Bog

Go to Recipe

Mixologist Ralph Rosenberg wanted to create a bourbon drink that was appealing to non-bourbon drinkers. The result, which Rosenberg makes with Maker’s Mark bourbon, is this lightly sweet pink drink.

  • Cranberry Recipes

17 of 30

18 of 30

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Blanca Julep

Credit: © Wendell T. Webber
Go to Recipe

Bar manager Jennifer Zerboni likes to tinker with the classic mint julep during horse-racing season. She used to flavor this julep with a mint granité, but that proved “too sticky and messy.” Now she makes the drink with mint simple syrup.

  • Granitas

18 of 30

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

19 of 30

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Gentleman Johnson

Go to Recipe

This bourbon cocktail hails from Nashville's The Capitol Grille & Bar, a stately hotel bar that was once home to the Francis Craig Orchestra, credited with launching the career of jazz singer Dinah Shore in 1949.

  • Gifts for the Cocktail Enthusiast

19 of 30

20 of 30

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Black & Brown

Go to Recipe

For this drink, Jeff Grdinich uses blackberries from his own garden, behind his house.

  • Blackberry Recipes

20 of 30

21 of 30

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Aqueduct

Go to Recipe

This variation on the old-fashioned is named after the one horse racetrack located within New York City limits.

  • Classic Cocktails

21 of 30

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

22 of 30

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Caffè Di Alpi

Credit: © Wendell T. Webber
Go to Recipe

Bartender Steve Peters dreamed up Caffè di Alpi ("Alpine Coffee" in Italian) as a deliciously warming après-ski drink.

  • Warming Drinks

22 of 30

23 of 30

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Linstead

Go to Recipe

Linstead is the work of retired bartender Eric Palmer.

  • Cocktail Party Recipes

23 of 30

24 of 30

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Fields of Gold

Credit: © Earl Carter
Go to Recipe

This version of a whiskey sour is a citrus-based drink that pairs well with Latin food; this one's designed for bourbon lovers.

  • Latin Cocktail Party

24 of 30

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

25 of 30

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Stiletto

Credit: © Tina Rupp
Go to Recipe

Brandy-soaked cherries and small-batch Knob Creek bourbon distinguish this almond-tinged whiskey sour.

  • American Beer, Bourbon and More

25 of 30

26 of 30

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Kentucky Special

Go to Recipe

At The Woodsman Tavern in Portland, Oregon, mixologist Evan Zimmerman infuses cherry liqueur with the smoked tea Lapsang souchong. The result? An excellent riff on an old-fashioned.

26 of 30

27 of 30

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Bourbon Chai Milk Punch

Credit: © David Malosh
Go to Recipe

To make this drink, which is like a delicious, boozy chai latte, Kenta Goto of New York City's Bar Goto infuses bourbon with chai tea, then shakes the drink with cream and maple syrup.

27 of 30

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

28 of 30

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Georgia on My Mind

Go to Recipe

Beer, an increasingly popular mixer, adds carbonation and a pleasant funkiness to cocktails. The apricot ale here offers fruitiness, too.

28 of 30

29 of 30

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Americana

Go to Recipe

Almost all of the cocktails at JP incorporate wine; the garnishes are made by chef Darren Bartley, who brandies peaches for this drink.

29 of 30

30 of 30

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Bizzy Izzy

Credit: Savanna Sturkie
Go to Recipe

Oloroso sherry has been used in cocktails since before Prohibition, its sweetness and body a great match for aged spirits like bourbon. Tom Bullock uses both in the Bizzy Izzy, a cocktail from the classic 1917 book The Ideal Bartender.

30 of 30

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By Food & Wine

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook
Trending Videos
Advertisement
Skip slide summaries

Everything in This Slideshow

Advertisement

View All

1 of 30 Morrison Mule
2 of 30 Maple-Bourbon Smash
3 of 30 Rock 'n' Rolla
4 of 30 Alpine Manhattan
5 of 30 Palmer Park Swizzle
6 of 30 Vanilla Old-Fashioned
7 of 30 Bufala Negra
8 of 30 The Big Texan Bourbon-and-Grapefruit Cocktail
9 of 30 The Bobby Boucher
10 of 30 Commodore 64
11 of 30 Kentucky Cousin
12 of 30 Southern Cucumber
13 of 30 Apples to Oranges
14 of 30 Blueberry-Maple Caiprissimo
15 of 30 Wager
16 of 30 Bourbon Fizz
17 of 30 The Charleston Bog
18 of 30 Blanca Julep
19 of 30 Gentleman Johnson
20 of 30 Black & Brown
21 of 30 Aqueduct
22 of 30 Caffè Di Alpi
23 of 30 Linstead
24 of 30 Fields of Gold
25 of 30 Stiletto
26 of 30 Kentucky Special
27 of 30 Bourbon Chai Milk Punch
28 of 30 Georgia on My Mind
29 of 30 Americana
30 of 30 Bizzy Izzy

Share options

Pinterest Mail Email iphone