How to drink bourbon as a beginner - Page 2

+1 nothing better.

Try Buffalo Trace, Basil Haydens, Eagle Creek for sipping. Get something cheap if you are mixing (b/c what's the point?) Jim Beam, Jack, etc. Bourbon + ginger ale (but not vernors b/c that is piss), Old Fashioned, or Manhattan.

+1 on the whiskey stones as well.

Actually, a Manhattan is made with Rye - the spiciness of the rye balances well with the sweetness of the vermouth. Using a wheated bourbon like Makers that has no rye content at all makes the drink far too sweet, and much less interesting - kind of one-dimensional. If you must use bourbon, I'd suggest something that has some decent rye content, i.e. Bulleit.

Makers is just fine on the rocks - it's pretty mild and sweet as is, so no need to really doctor it up.

The traditional Manhattan is rye, however variations do exist. (I'm Canadian. I grew up believing that rye is the ONLY whiskey, and have had my share of rye manhattans.) I have a number of old timey bartenders guides featuring recipes with bourbon. It's much like a martini can consist of gin or vodka.

As for the flavour profile, to each their own. I happen to like woodford reserve for this cocktail (or neat). He happens to have a bottle of Makers. I maintain he should give this a try, and draw his own conclusions.

It's not even a martini situation where two entirely different liquors are commonly used- it's just that there are two different types of the same spirit- whiskey that can be used. Hell, some people swear by Canadian whiskey in the drink. Bourbon is absolutely common and accepted. Yes, it was originally made with rye, but it's almost always been made with both, and more commonly with bourbon due to rye's lack of popularity in general.

this....this. this. this. this.

1.5 oz over ice, splash a little water in there to lengthen the finish, wait about 120 seconds, drink.

I think my parents taught me how to drink bourbon, YMMV

I had a very difficult time over New Year's finding a bar in Denver, of all places, that even had rye whiskey. I would have thought it wouldn't be so difficult, but over two days in four really nice bars no one had rye. I was trying to find someone to make a Sazerac, and what was weird was that two of the four bars had Absinthe- cheap Absinthe, but still Absinthe- but no rye.

Anyway, to the OP, I find that a little unchilled water doesn't change the flavor of some bourbons as much as ice does, which I think is good. To me, milder bourbons sometimes don't taste at all like themselves when they get too cooled down.

In my opinion the best way to begin with bourbon is to start with it very diluted. It can seem a bit "hot" until you develop a taste for it. Just try it a few times as a glass of water with the whiskey served on the side. Put the whiskey in the water as a lighter flavoring and learn what the flavor is without the drawbacks of the harshness of the alcohol.

When some appreciation develops you will be drinking it as 2 bourbon - 1 water with a couple of cubes. that is about how I normally eyeball mine into the old fashioned glass. The suggestions for the bourbon and ginger are great. It combines very well, just don't get one of the overly sweet ginger ales. Plain old Schwepps works pretty well for this, IMHO. Easy to keep handy and is a well known great combination. They just go together well such as gin and tonic do.

Makers Mark is OK, but there are quite a few others in this moderate price range that I'd rather have. for something relatively inexpensive, try some Fitzgerald 86 proof or Old Barton. Jim Beam black label is something with a different taste profile. And select bbls of Old Forrester is what Woodford Reserve was first made from when introduced 10 year or so ago.

Once you get to the point where you can identify some of the differences in these then move to some of the high $$$$ stuff with the more varied profiles and more aging. My motto is too Pay Less, Drink More.

My baby bottles still have that delightful aroma.

fuckin love your post rate.

my 50th...just for you...

Now either you have or you haven't used them.

For reasonably large ice cubes, I use this baby food tray:
http://www.amazon.com/Beaba-Multipor...528948&sr=8-20

It works pretty well, and you just get that little bit of water that often causes a drink to bloom a bit without watering it down.