Parties the first week of school are great. The combination of cheap beer and loud music are enough to turn any weekend into the “greatest night of my life.”
But for those who want to step away from keg beer and colourful liquor, we spoke to David Wondrich, the drinks correspondent at Esquire, about bourbon and why it should be added to your Saturday night.
“During the Revolutionary War, rum was embargoed. Americans were forced to build up their own whiskey industry. It smoothed out as we gained skill,” Wondrich said. “Bourbon is one of the simplest distilled spirits. It’s uniquely mixable with a medium body.”
Wondrich said this is because the American government has put stringent controls on which spirits can legally be called “bourbon.”
The U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau states that bourbon must be produced in the U.S., not exceed 80 per cent alcohol (160 proof), be made with more than 51 per cent corn with no additional additives, and be aged in charred new oak barrels before it is bottled.
“There isn’t much creativity,” Wondrich said.
This is where the Jack Daniels controversy comes from. Even though it seems like bourbon, it is actually only Tennessee whiskey—not bourbon.
For the real McCoy, Wondrich recommends Jim Beam, especially for first-time bourbon drinkers.
While bourbon is great neat, on the rocks, or mixed with Coca-Cola, it works best in a cocktail. The whiskey sour, old fashioned, and the Manhattan make up what Wondrich calls the “trinity of three.”
“These drinks are historically enshrined, are wildly popular, and are all delicious. They’re way better than disco drinks,” he said.
According to Wondrich, these cocktails suffer from a daunting reputation. His recipe for the Manhattan—which we highly recommend—is as follows:
- 2 ounces of bourbon
- 1 ounce of vermouth
- 2 dashes of Angostura bitters
He said to make sure that the Manhattan isn’t mixed like a martini. Bourbon can stand up to the vermouth much better than gin and for best results keep the ratio at 2:1. You can find bitters at just about any grocery store. Oddly enough, the LCBO doesn’t actually carry any.
“[The cocktails] sound more intimidating than they are,” Wondrich said.
“Ultimately it’s a psychological barrier. There is nothing special about them, you can make one in 30 seconds.”
—@alexsbrockman
—@DKolanko
