A Beginner's Guide to Drinking Bourbon

The question “How do I drink bourbon?” may seem a bit silly at first glance. Just pour it in a glass and drink the whiskey neat, right? It's a bit more complicated than that, though.

Bourbon whiskey is a deep and complex spirit that takes hard work and years of aging to produce and there are small steps one can take to fully appreciate it.

Despite what some stuck-up whiskey enthusiasts may tell you, there’s no best way to drink bourbon. There are many ways by which you can maximize your enjoyment and appreciation, including making a whiskey cocktail or pouring bourbon on the rocks.

We spoke to a few bourbon whiskey experts in order to provide you with all of the tips to get the most out of your bourbon-drinking experience, whether you prefer Wild Turkey 101, Maker's Mark No. 46, or even Evan Williams.

Related: I've Tried Thousands of Whiskeys. This Cheap Bourbon Is Perfect for Cocktails

How to Drink Bourbon

Choose a Glass

After selecting the whiskey you’re going to be drinking, the next biggest decision is the style of glassware you’re going to drink the bourbon from. The two most common styles of glassware for tasting bourbon are the glencairn glass and the rocks glass.

“When you visit the tasting rooms in Kentucky, you will most likely be served vourbon in a glencairn glass. It is tulip-shaped and has become the industry standard for tasting whiskey,” says Bernie Lubbers, national brand ambassador for Heaven Hill Distillery. “But any glass that allows you to get your nose into the glass will work just fine in my opinion.”

“I tend to lean towards a standard rocks glass because that’s what I’m used to having while sitting at a bar, but there is no ‘right’ glass, just the glass you choose,” says Tim Heuisler, global small batch brand ambassador for James B. Beam Distilling.

Whatever you decide, it’s recommended to opt for a clear glass, so that one can access the color of the whiskey.

Pour the Bourbon

When it comes to pouring bourbon, the biggest question is whether or not to measure the pour.

“You won’t bruise the whiskey either way,” Lubbers explains. “Pour enough to get a nice aroma going, so at least a half ounce or more will do just fine.”

The standard pour in most bars or tasting rooms is either one ounce or two ounces, and bartenders will usually use a measuring tool like a jigger to make sure that they don't over pour Of course, there’s nothing wrong with eyeballing your pour when imbibing at home or with friends.

“Regarding amount, here’s a friendly reminder to drink responsibly,” Heuisler says. “Otherwise, do your best to not spill any on your countertop. A lot of work went into creating that liquid.”

Look and Smell

The first two things you’ll notice when enjoying a glass of bourbon are the color and the aroma. Bourbon derives all of its color from the barrel aging process.

“The color can clue you in to either the length of time the bourbon spent in the barrel or the bottling strength,” explains Heuisler. “The deeper and richer the color, the longer it spent in the barrel or the higher the proof, as lower proof bourbons have been diluted with water before bottling.”

If you lightly swirl the whiskey around in the glass, you can also tell how viscous it is by observing the legs: the drops of whiskey that slowly fall on the inside of the glass. Generally, when more whiskey sticks to the inside of the glass and falls back into the glass more slowly, the proof is on the higher end.

Among whiskey professionals, evaluating the scent of a bourbon is called nosing. This step is equally as important to appreciating whiskey as tasting it.

“I always recommend keeping the glass about an inch below your nose, and keeping your lips slightly open while nosing your bourbon,” Heuisler says. “Keeping your lips open will help circulate your breathing and cut any risk of abusing your olfactory glands. If you can’t smell, you can’t taste.”

There are some notes, namely vanilla, caramel, and baking spice that are common to almost all bourbon whiskey, but the best bourbons are complex and dynamic with a variety of unique scents.

“The first smells and thoughts that come to your mind will be the aroma. You might not even have a name for it, but it’s there, and it’s yours,” Lubbers says. “You can also search for the bourbon whiskey flavor wheel, and that might help you with identifying aromas, too. And always remember, there are no wrong answers to your own experience."

Taste and Savor

If you're overthinking how to enjoy bourbon, remember that star of the show is almost always the flavor. The best bourbons are rich and packed full of pleasing flavors. To get the most out of your experience, sip slowly and make sure to savor every drop.

“As in smelling and nosing a whiskey, close your eyes, clear your mind, and take enough bourbon in your mouth to give it a nice chew,” Lubbers suggests. “This will distribute the whiskey throughout your whole palate. Then feel where the whiskey is hitting—the front of your palate is sweet. The back of your palate detects the spice. As the different flavors come to your mind, write them down.”

After that, take a second sip and see if you notice any different flavors in the whiskey or if the bourbon changes at all between sips. Try looking for common flavor notes like caramel, baking spice, butterscotch, and vanilla. Then see if you notice any flavors outside of that. Cherry, dried fruit, orange peel, and tobacco are all common flavor notes in bourbon.

After you swallow the bourbon, there should still be some lingering flavor. This is called the finish. The finish is judged by how long these flavors stick around and whether or not the combination of flavors is complex or pleasing.

“Trust your pallet and enjoy the ride. You can read reviews and tasting notes but at the end of the day, it’s how you feel with that glass in front of you,” Heuisler says.

Different Ways to Drink Bourbon

Do you drink bourbon with ice? Is there a proper way to drink bourbon? Valid questions. But don't stress to much when choosing how to sip bourbon. There are multiple ways to do so, all based on your preference.

In Cocktails

Bourbon is often enjoyed when mixed into a cocktail.

“It’s a full-bodied spirit that plays well with other ingredients and depending on bottling strength, can afford some dilution,” Heuisler says. “There’s a reason a lot of the classics of the cocktail world are made with bourbon.”

Popular bourbon drinks include the old fashioned and mint julep, but bourbon is also the base ingredient of popular modern cocktails like the paper plane and gold rush.

On the Rocks

Another popular way of enjoying bourbon is on the rocks, which simply means the whiskey is served over an ice cube or cubes. You could also order it as bourbon on ice, if that makes more sense to you.

“Ice does two things, it cools the bourbon, and then melts adding water to the bourbon and thus changes the flavors as it melts,” Lubbers explains.

The process of chilling and diluting a bourbon can dampen some of the stronger flavors and aromas.

“I like to have one large cube. It chills the whiskey and will melt more slowly than small cubes and thus, dilute your whiskey more slowly, so you can take your time with the pour,” Heuisler says.

Straight or Neat

If you want to experience a bourbon in its purest form, sipping it neat—meaning without ice or mixers— is the way to go.

“Neat Bourbon represents the age and proof that the master distiller and distillery sensory teams picked for that whiskey so that’s how I like to first experience any bourbon,” Lubbers says.

In most distillery tasting rooms or guided tastings, the whiskey will almost always be served neat at room temperature. This presentation allows the drinker to assess the whiskey’s color, aroma, flavor, and finish in its most straightforward, unadulterated state.

With Water

Some bourbons may have a bit of a burn at the proof they’re bottled at. One way to enjoy a particularly strong pour is by adding a bit of room-temperature water. Mixing in a splash of water will lower the overall proof of the whiskey and allow it to open up or present new flavors and aromas.

“One way to regulate this is to use a dropper with water and just add a couple drops at a time until you find the level that you enjoy the most,” Lubbers says.

Adding too much water too quickly can over-dilute a bourbon, rendering it flat and flavorless.

“Add a few drops at a time and as you do, taste the whiskey,” suggests Heuisler. “You’ll notice a different mouthfeel and certainly pick up on different flavor notes as you add water.”

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