How do you enjoy your bourbon?

[SippinJim]

As this is my first post to this fine forum I was wondering how you take your drink. I know there are some who enjoy it neat, some who who like it on the rocks and some with a splash of water. There are even some who like it with coke or make a Manhattan.

As for me, I like it neat. I have tried with ice and don't like fine bourbon cold. I have tried with some water and couldn't get next to that either. I pour about and ounce and a half of room temp bourbon and enjoy it over a period of 20-30 mins.

I am not posting to say one is superior over another as this is a personal choice of taste. I am just curious how you take yours.

[TNbourbon]

Welcome, Jim.

I almost never use ice, unless in a mixed drink/cocktail. I don't like the change that occurs via dilution as the ice melts. Otherwise, I drink it however the mood fits me. Less and less often, that is neat/straight, unless I'm tasting for evaluative purposes. Not infrequently, I'll drink bourbon-and-cola/ginger ale (depends, to me, whether the bourbon is wheated or rye-recipe). Manhattans, an occasional Sazerac, sometimes some concoction I throw together using whatever ingredients I have on hand, all take their turn in the rotation.

So, no hard-and-fast rule here.

[spun_cookie]

Depends for me. Most the time it is neat or with a very little spach of water.

On soem nights I will toss in a cube or two of ice with the higher proof stuff (stagg, weller, PH, etc)

Welcome to the site.

[barturtle]

Bourbon on the bourbon with a splash of bourbon, would be my most common method of consumption.

Cocktails (Sazerac/Manhatten), on the rocks and with a mixer(Sprite/Ginger Ale) also occur.

[Everman75]

Generally, I like mine on the rocks unless I am doing a tasting. Then I prefer it neat or with just a splash of water.

[CorvallisCracker]

Neat, without water, unless it's very high proof (e.g. George T Stagg), usually in a small snifter.

During the summer, occasionally on the rocks, while sitting outside.

It occurs to me that the GTS will be good for that, because the melting->dilution problem will be less.

[callmeox]

I prefer my bourbon within arm's reach. :grin:

With that in mind, I take the higher proof (> 100) expresions with a small cube of ice. I'm trying to wean myself off of the habit, but I'd rather have a bit of water mixed in than have my taste buds check out and kill my enjoyment of the spirits.

[Tennessee Dave]

Welcome to the forum. I am a relative newbie as well. The folks here have taught me a lot and I am still learning. I enjoy all of my bourbon neat at room temperature.

[Eggman]

Howdy,

2 oz. of JBB (Or JBW) mixed with Diet Coke in a small glass over ice. It's my nightcap. Puts me right to sleep.

Eggman

PS: Now I prefer JBW or JBB to Knob Creek. Obviously YMMV.

[Stu]

If it's not good enough to enjoy neat or at most, lightly dusted (1 part water to 4 parts whisk(e)y) I usually won't buy it again. About the only mixed drinks I enjoy are Bloody Marys (a prelude to Sunday brunch), Irish Coffee (or Kentucky Coffee), bourbon mint tea (chocolate mint used in bourbon to make a tea, served over ice), and a well made Margarita on the rocks.

Stu

[DoubleT]

I prefer mine on the rocks, but there are times I drink it with water, a 3 to 1 or 4 to 1 ratio depending on the bourbon. There are those times, like with a very fine cigar, I drink it neat. This, for me, makes for a very nice balance.

[ratcheer]

I enjoy bourbon in several ways. Straight, on the rocks, or with water. Sometimes with a little water, sometimes a lot. I occasionally enjoy a highball, but rarely made with anything sweet. I prefer something such as Perrier or club soda. And I have a few bourbon cocktails that I really enjoy, especially the Manhattan cocktail and the Sazerac cocktail.

Tim

[chilidawg7]

like many here, my choice depend on the mood.

at times, i gotta have a few oz. neat.

sometimes mixing with Cola (Coke Zero these days) feels right.

when needing to reminisce, it's Old Forester and Coke.

[squire]

Hi Jim, I no longer drink any ardent spirit neat except for a tasting/evaluation. If the whiskey's good it will stand up well in a cocktail or diluted with Perrier.

Regards,

Squire

[Jazzhead]

I take it neat, in a round tumbler. In a bar, I'll sometimes pair a shot with a draft. Back in the day, of course, that shot would be downed in a flash, followed by the beer-blast. Now, though, I just slowly sip the shot as I slowly drink the beer.

[Huegeb]

As this is my first post to this fine forum I was wondering how you take your drink. I know there are some who enjoy it neat, some who who like it on the rocks and some with a splash of water. There are even some who like it with coke or make a Manhattan.

As for me, I like it neat. I have tried with ice and don't like fine bourbon cold. I have tried with some water and couldn't get next to that either. I pour about and ounce and a half of room temp bourbon and enjoy it over a period of 20-30 mins.

I am not posting to say one is superior over another as this is a personal choice of taste. I am just curious how you take yours.

Hello Jim,

Usually I drink it neat. May be on occasion a cube of ice in warmer weather.

Kindest,

Geb

[JamesW]

Hello Jim,

Usually I drink it neat. May be on occasion a cube of ice in warmer weather.

Kindest,

Geb

I'm with Geb on this one.

[scopenut]

Generally neat, with a side of ice water.....

-Kevin

[Ryan]

I am still trying everything I can to find out what I like and don't like. I usually start with it neat, and add water slowly to try to recognize the settle changes. I will have a occasional pour of MM or WR on the rocks, and love my coke with a generous pour of Weller Special Reserve.

-R

[Sijan]

Neat. Occasionally with a little water. I usually drink some water on the side, however.

I started off drinking bourbon and coke, and occasionally will have that, although usually just at a bar. I'll also order manhattans at a bar.

[drunkenjayhawk]

Mostly neat, rarely with a little water to tame down high proof monsters. Hardly ever with rocks unless summertime and very rarely mixed. I buy my bourbon and scotch for the flavor and to hide or mix it to me defeats the purpose.

[jburlowski]

Generally, I like mine orally.

[ggilbertva]

I'm boring....neat or with a unique Ginger Ale. If the bourbon is higher proof....over 110, I may add a touch of water. Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever had bourbon on the rocks......

[mgilbertva]

Quite a bit, actually...

:cool: