Bourbon 7 favorites?

[MGades]

My favorite bourbon drink besides Neat is Bourbon and 7.

What favorites do other people have for such a mix (including bourbon sour, which is close but lacking the carbonation)?

I enjoy the following a lot, also considering I'm on a budget.

• Ancient Age
  
• Rittenhouse Rye BIB (I'd try the non-BIB if the price was right)
  
• Old Gran Dad 86 proof
  
• Old Forester 86 proof
  
• Wild Turkey Rye 101

What do others like?

[MGades]

I guess I should clarify that I mean 7-up, "the un-cola" as they used to say.

I find it a little cleaner than Sprite for Mixing purposes, but because I have not done back-to-back taste comparisons, I should a and will consider the Sprite analogues as equivalents to 7-up for the purpose of this question.

[ratcheer]

About the only highball mixers I enjoy with bourbon are ginger ale (either dry or dark) and sparkling water (I prefer Perrier).

Tim

[OscarV]

Bourbon ala Glass,.... this is my favorite drink.

Only 2 ingrediants,

1. bourbon

2. a glass to pour it in. :cool:

[ggilbertva]

At times, a Rittenhouse BIB and Ginger is very refreshing. Most times though, Bourbon, neat.

[cowdery]

Very early and very briefly in my drinking life I experimented with 7&7s. About the only time I drink lemon-lime soda today is when I'm upset in the stomach, often though not always from a hangover, and while "hair of the dog" is a valid concept, usually if it's come to drinking Sprite, alcohol is still far from my mind.

That gross trip down memory lane is my way of saying it hadn't even occurred to me to mix bourbon with lemon-lime until now.

I do mix it with ginger ale, though. I like that.

As for what whiskey to use for mixed drinks, I tend to use rye or a rye-flavored bourbon, never a wheater, and usually on the young side, but not something I would avoid drinking straight. If I don't like something, I don't like it no matter how many others flavors I put on top of it, so it has to be something I like and will drink straight. But it will tend to be among the less pricey products that answer to that description. Rittenhouse Rye and Very Old Barton BIB are big go-to's, Old Grand-Dad BIB.

[Bob O.]

Rittenhouse BIB, WT Rye or WT101 and Ginger.

[MGades]

The motivation for Bourbon and 7 for me came after drinking 7&7's. One day I tried some Seagram's 7 straight. I realized that while pretty inoffensive, the whisky was pretty flat, weakly flavored, and tasted a little adulterated -like caramel and sugar had been added. So I went for the full flavor of bourbon/rye and I prefer it. That's what turned me on to bourbon and rye.

I agree that wheated bourbons just don't work as well. But then I have not liked the wheated bourbons that I tried (MM, WR) any other way either.

I'll have to look for VOB, I haven't seen it in any stores around here.

It seems Ginger is a more popular alternative, but I don't like it as much with most bourbons I've tried. To me, the ginger flavors overlap and obscure the rye, even at a 1:1 ratio, creating a somewhat muddled (though still fairly tasty) confusion. In contrast, the lemon-lime serves as a more pure complement, with virtually no overlaps in the flavor profile.

After some taste-testing I concluded that with WT101 I do prefer Ginger, but with WT Rye 101, I prefer 7up. Similarly, I don't like the Rittenhouse with Ginger nearly as much as with 7.

To fans of bourbon/rye and ginger, and everyone else too, consider giving bourbon-7 a try. If nothing else, as a way to wrap-up your cheaper bottles of bourbon and those that have lingered too long on your liquor shelf.

[TNbourbon]

...I do mix it with ginger ale, though. I like that.

As for what whiskey to use for mixed drinks, I tend to use rye or a rye-flavored bourbon, never a wheater, and usually on the young side, but not something I would avoid drinking straight...

I largely agree with the exception that, for some reason, I especially find the wheated Weller bourbons great accompaniments to cola, a la bourbon and Coke.

[jwrussell]

Hmmm...I have yet to mix bourbon with anything. I've only ever drunk it neat...can't seem to bring myself to mix something I enjoy straight. Now 7 & 7's, love 'em. So I guess I'll have to pick up some ginger and pick a bourbon I'm willing to do some mixing with...

[wku88]

Try bourbon and Wink, or any similar grapefruit soda. Heavy rye recipes, or straight ryes might also work.

[MGades]

Try bourbon and Wink, or any similar grapefruit soda. Heavy rye recipes, or straight ryes might also work.

Yeah, Squirt worked pretty well with rye and bourbon. I haven't decided yet which is best with it.

[MGades]

... Now 7 & 7's, love 'em. ....

If you enjoy/prefer 7&7, is that because it is milder tasting than bourbon and 7?

Since Seagram 7 is a blend of GNS and a little straight whiskey (plus various colors and flavors), you might try making your own blend instead, using:

Vodka + {bourbon, straight whiskey, or Rye} in a ratio of 1:1,

or maybe 2:1 if you want a closer match to the Seagram 7.

At whatever ratio you choose, this would let you control the quality. I'm sure you could create something that is better tasting than Seagram 7 using mid- or even bottom-shelf components.

[sydney]

My God, has it been that long since I've been here? I must have missed a lot. Oh, I would not consider mixing my bourbon with anything. I love drinking my Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey neat. I don't know exactly why but I can't seem to countenance the concept of mixing anything with the great stuff I am able to purchase. Top-of-the-line bourbon for me. Nothing else will do. I love it. Apparently, people do mix various and sundry things with this outstanding American product but I am not one of them. Happy days, gang!

[wildcatdon]

Old Forester and ginger ale is good..I have gone from ginger ale to water and the water truly brings out the flavor in bourbon..Many times I just drink on the rocks and let the ice melting be my water..

[ThomasH]

I prefer ginger ale over 7up or Sprite to mix with hands down. Canada dry is the fave and Seagrams is next. In my house, Schwepps ginger ale doesn't doesn't even get considered, it is just flat out awful. The exceptions for me to use Sprite or 7up is when I'm drinking MM mint julep as a long drink. I usually use diet sprite as it cuts down on the sweetness. Same thing goes if I'm using WT honey liquer. Have also used Sprite with WT sherry signature as I'm not too fond of it straight. Basically, you can use whatever brand you want to mix. Its your choice and your drink, mix however you choose!

Thomas