America’s homegrown whiskey has become one of the most popular pours around. And with so many bottles flooding the market, the backbar has turned into a crowded landscape, one that could easily overwhelm the average drinker.
So we found a spirit guide. One bar owner, 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
Step one is to learn how to decode bourbon labels. Bourbon is a very broad category. It’s important to know what the wording means. For example, looking for the phrase straight bourbon.
Straight is what you want to look for first and foremost when you’re searching the shelves. It means they’re not adding anything to or adulterating the product, so you’re getting the real deal.
Looking for the age statement on the label is recommended, although you may not always find it. And especially if it’s from a newer producer, that often means that bourbon is on the younger side. By law, straight bourbon must be aged for at least two years.
Skip the Shot Glass
While the flavors of bourbon can be quite different from Scotch whisky, it is recommended to sip a neat pour from a Glencairn glass, a curved vessel typically reserved for scotch. Aroma is a huge part of your bourbon experience. You need 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, 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, you can use 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. People think there’s only one way to drink bourbon, and that’s wrongheaded. Water is not a dealbreaker whatsoever. The current trend for uncut, unfiltered, barrel-strength whiskeys means that most bourbons actually benefit from some dilution. It takes off the heat and spice notes and lets the sweetness shine through.
Upgrade Your Ice
Bourbon has big, bold flavors. A little bit of ice and water won’t kill the thing. However, small, watery pieces of ice that dilute a spirit too quickly are a factor, in which case solid ice is never a bad idea. For home using silicone molds to freeze sizable chunks that chill effectively but melt slowly would be the best option.
