How To Enjoy Bourbon As a First Time Whiskey Drinker

Bourbon, like whiskey, is starting to become extremely popular among the Millennials. This barrel-aged alcoholic drink made mostly from corn has become a drink of choice by young professionals who want to have fun after a long day at work.

Its rising popularity is highly embraced by craft distillers who are working hard to get noticed by the younger market. Still, there are a significant number of individuals who are unsure about how to enjoy drinking bourbon for the first time.

If you are planning to purchase your first bottle of bourbon, here are several ways to help you appreciate this variety of American whiskey as soon as you take your initial sip:

Neat 

If you want to understand the taste of bourbon in its purest form, then taking it neat could be your best option. Drinking neat means that the beverage will be served to you straight at room temperature. The glass should not contain any ice or other additives.

It will allow you to appreciate the liquor in its real taste since you will not find any other elements mixed with the liquid. By doing this process, you will be able to preserve the drink’s original rich and aromatic flavour.

Some bourbon bars might serve a neat glass of the liquid with several drops of water. This process will not dilute the original flavour of the drink. Instead, it will open up the aromas to help the avid whiskey enthusiasts appreciate the drink better. If you order a neat bourbon, make sure that you will inhale its scent to savour its rich, smoky flavours.

On the Rocks

Some people cannot enjoy a drink at room temperature, especially during a scorching hot day. If you are one of those people, you have the option of pouring bourbon over ice. While it may make some of its stronger flavours more subtle, making it a little colder could give you a better drinking experience.

First-time whiskey workers may find this option a better way to indoctrinate their palate for bourbon. To fully appreciate the drink, you must take a small sip once you inhaled some of its scents. Unlike other drinks that you need to drink in one go, this beverage is better enjoyed slowly.

Manhattan

Bourbon is also great for cocktails. One of the best beverage concoctions that use bourbon is called the Manhattan. It is composed of a generous amount of bourbon, sweet vermouth, and some bitters like the Angostura, the Peychaud’s Bitters, orange bitters, or any bitters of your choice.

Most bourbon bars serve this cocktail in a martini glass. Some add the juice from a cherry jar or drops of Maraschino liquor for some colour or additional sweetness to the drink.

Mint Julep

If you want to drink your bourbon just like what the attendees of the iconic Kentucky Derby usual do, you can ask for a mint julep from your favourite whiskey bar. This aromatic whiskey-based cocktail does not contain too many additives, which makes the flavour of the bourbon still dominant.

When making your mint julep at home, you only need a shot of bourbon, some water, spearmint, and sugar. It is very light on the palate yet comes with a surprising kick. But if you truly want to enjoy bourbon for the first time, nothing beats drinking it with friends.

You can share your observations about the drink while sipping a glass or two of your preferred bourbon concoction. Once you get used to the aromatic flavours of the drink, you may want to make it a staple drink in all your special events.