If you’re reading this, chances are that your go-to choice of liquor is something served tall and dark: bourbon. Who can blame you? There are few drinks as rich and delightful as bourbon. It doesn’t matter if you enjoy an old fashioned at the bar, or prefer your bourbon served over ice cold cola. There are plenty of ways to enjoy bourbon. Likewise, there are tons of different brands on the market today to spice up your nightcap or evening cocktail.
Bourbon has a few staunch requirements. Those requirements being, the bourbon must be distilled in the United States with a minimum of 51 percent corn mash. It must also be aged in charred, first-use American white oak barrels. As long as it hits those standards, the bourbon is good to go! So if you’re bored of Maker’s Mark, here are 4 bourbon brands you can experiment with.
Brand: Hirsch Selected Whiskeys
Bourbon: The Horizon
Hirsch Selected Whiskeys gets creative with their blends. Their latest bourbon blend is called the Horizon, and people are going crazy for it. Taste-testers have recounted notes of cinnamon, licorice, vanilla, and even cornbread – if you’re into that sort of thing. The Horizon is a mixed blend of two different mash bills; one is traditional with 75% corn and 21% rye while the other is a high-rye mash using 60% corn and 36% rye. If you want this drink to go down smoothly, it’s best served neat or on the rocks.
Hirsch The Horizon Straight Bourbon: A.H. Hirsch Reserve 16-Year-Old has been called “the best American bourbon ever produced.” So where does a great distiller go from there? Back to fundamentals, with selected whiskey expressions like The Horizon… https://t.co/O3CMErxhie pic.twitter.com/DraTq2eIDG
— theawesomer (@theawesomer) July 16, 2020
Brand: Old Rip Van Winkle
Bourbon: Pappy Van Winkle
Pappy Van Winkle is considered the world’s finest bourbon by many connoisseurs. In fact, this brand of bourbon is so popular that there’s a term for finding them: “Pappy hunting”. This is definitely more of a “treat yourself” type of bourbon because it’s not cheap. If you find it at a bar, one shot can ring up to around $75 and a bottle itself goes for $5000. The Van Winkle recipe also calls for a blend of corn, wheat and barley malt, which is sweeter than the normal corn, rye, and barley mix. The wheat allows for a more graceful aging process.
Today is the day! Take a break from #BlackFriday and head to our INDY location at 4pm for the 1st Annual Pappy Van Winkle bottle opening pic.twitter.com/ppxt04u93Y
— BLEND Bar Cigar (@BLENDBarCigar) November 24, 2017
Brand: Angel’s Envy
Bourbon: Angel’s Envy
Angel’s Envy is a “Kentucky Straight” bourbon that’s finished in port wine barrels. It’s handcrafted in batches of 8 to 12 barrels and aged for up to 6 years. After that, the bourbon then spends an additional three to six months in the 60-gallon port barrels. The family-owned bourbon brand offers different varieties including Cask Strength, Port Finish, and Rum Finish, as listed on their website. Each option is guaranteed to surprise you with harmonious notes of cherry, salted chocolate, and orange peel. Seriously – even non-whiskey drinkers would drink this up!
Not much beats summer heat like an ice-cold beverage. Our go-to? The Classic Highball. pic.twitter.com/aFU3j0uIoK
— Angel's Envy (@Angels_Envy) July 1, 2021
Brand: Jefferson’s Bourbon
Bourbon: Jefferson’s Ocean
Jefferson’s Ocean is definitely a unique one. The bourbon blend is known for its rich red apple aroma and dried fruit flavors alongside subtle dark chocolate, bitter notes. What makes Jefferson’s bourbon different is that it’s aged at sea. That’s right. The constant motion-of-the-ocean and drastic temperature changes has a major effect on the bourbon, resulting in a darker, richer and caramelized bourbon.
Each Jefferson's Ocean voyage has a unique story and flavor. Discover where your favorite barrel has been through the link in our bio! pic.twitter.com/W27KhWUak6
— Jefferson's Bourbon (@JeffsBourbon) July 19, 2021
Picture Credit: Unsplash
