Bourbon can undeniably be seen as the spirit of choice of the United States, and it’s easy to see why – despite being made following a few basic (yet very important) steps, such as only being made within the United States and using at a bare minimum 51% corn, there remains a huge degree of creativity on the part of the distillers that allows this unique spirit to retain a flavour like no other brown spirit. There are a lot of distinctions to be made about bourbon, so in this article we take a look at a few tips to help you choose the right bourbon for you, as well as offering some handy tasting notes.

A little bit of background on bourbon

Many already know bourbon as the all-American barrel-aged spirit born in Bourbon County, Kentucky, but there are quite a few varieties on the market today, making the choice not so obvious for many people. Although there are spirit favourites like Jack Daniels Tennessee Whiskey and Wild Turkey Bourbon, there are a lot of niche products out there that can offer a very unique taste and flavour profile for drinkers. Let’s get back to basics, though – generally, there are two types of bourbon whiskeys that exist today: straight bourbon whisky and blended bourbon whisky. In the case of straight bourbon, the spirit has been aged for a minimum of 2 years and has no additives (such as caramel colour or flavours). Blended bourbon, on the other hand, is permitted to contain additives but must still be at least 51% straight bourbon. In the case of something like Jack Daniels, the bourbon produces its unique flavour as a result of being made from Tennessee limestone spring water, which is still used in their recipe to this very day. The recipe also contains amounts corn, rye, and barley that are balanced to create the spirit’s approachable style.

How to properly drink bourbon

Although many might default to drinking their bourbon with a sweet carbonated mixer, the best way to truly sample this alcohol is by drinking it on its own. Even then, there are a couple of ways to do it. The first way is by drinking it neat, which involves drinking the unadulterated spirit at room temperature. Some may also choose to add a drop or to of water to open up the whisky and alter the flavour and aroma profile. in this case, it is best delicately sipped from a glass that might concentrate the aromas, such as a snifter. For those that don’t want to delve straight into straight spirit drinking, they might then consider drinking their bourbon on the rocks (or over ice, in more straightforward terms). This way, you can ease the burn of the whisky and will be able to taste how it changes as it slowly becomes more diluted over time.

Flavours and aromas you should be looking for

As a straight spirit, bourbon great with some food, it offers a lot of very pleasant aromas – you should be able to pick up sultry hints of smoke, vanilla, pepper and molasses. It’s also a good opportunity to appreciate the colour – not all bourbons boast the same colour, so spotting the differences can be rewarding. Finally, sip your bourbon slowly, making sure to roll the liquid around your mouth and inhaling. You should be able pick up fruity flavours like lemon and apricot, as well as complex oak and grass tones.