The 19 Best Bourbon Cocktails: From Old Fashioned to Mint Julep

America's Native Spirit in Every Glass

Written by Curiada Editorial Staff

11 min read
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The 19 Best Bourbon Cocktails: From Old Fashioned to Mint Julep

Why These 20 Bourbon Cocktails?

Bourbon is America's spirit, and for good reason. That signature sweetness — caramel, vanilla, toasted oak — makes it one of the most naturally cocktail-friendly spirits on any shelf. It's the backbone of the Old Fashioned, the soul of the Mint Julep, and the reason the Whiskey Sour remains one of the most ordered drinks in every bar in the country.

But bourbon's range extends well past the classics. This collection pairs it with everything from cherry liqueur and Bénédictine to fresh blackcurrant and sparkling wine. You'll find shaken sours, stirred spirit-forward sipper, fizzy highballs, and a few builds that combine bourbon with other spirits for unexpected depth. The Frisco Sour, the Bourbon Cherry Pop, the Blackcurrant Bourbon Smash — each one shows a different side of what corn, oak, and barrel aging can bring to a glass.

Whether your bourbon shelf has one bottle or twelve, these recipes will keep every one of them busy.

All 19 Recipes

A photo of the Frisco Sour cocktail containing Savage & Cooke Cask Finished Bourbon, Bénédictine D.O.M. Liqueur, Freshly squeezed lemon juice, Giffard Sugar Cane Syrup (Sirop Sucre de Canne), Fee Brothers Fee Foam Egg White Alternative in a Old-Fashioned.
#1 medium Daiquiri/Classic Sours & Riffs

Frisco Sour

Benedictine adds herbal honey depth to a frothy bourbon sour.

The Frisco Sour pairs bourbon with Benedictine's warm honey-herb notes in a foamy sour. A classic that shows bourbon's softer, more aromatic side.

Ingredients

Directions

  1. Add ice to shaker
  2. Add all ingredients to shaker
  3. Shake well
  4. Fill old-fashioned glass with ice
  5. Strain mixture into ice-filled glass
  6. Garnish with orange slice and cherry on stick
View Full Recipe →
A photo of the The Bourbon Cherry Pop cocktail containing Savage & Cooke Cask Finished Bourbon, Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur, Freshly squeezed lime juice, Giffard Sugar Cane Syrup (Sirop Sucre de Canne) in a Coupe.
#2 medium Daiquiri/Classic Sours & Riffs

The Bourbon Cherry Pop

Maraschino liqueur and lime give bourbon a bright cherry-citrus lift.

Luxardo maraschino brings dry cherry flavor that matches bourbon's oak and vanilla. Lime juice adds a tart snap that makes this a lively, easy-drinking sour.

Ingredients

Directions

  1. Add ice to shaker
  2. Pour all ingredients into shaker
  3. Shake vigorously
  4. Fine strain into chilled coupe glass
  5. Garnish with Luxardo Maraschino cherry
View Full Recipe →
A photo of the Blackcurrant Bourbon Smash cocktail containing Savage & Cooke Cask Finished Bourbon, Freshly squeezed lemon juice, LEJAY LAGOUTE Crème de Cassis, Giffard Sugar Cane Syrup (Sirop Sucre de Canne), Angostura Aromatic Bitters in a Old-Fashioned.
#3 medium Other Family

Blackcurrant Bourbon Smash

Creme de cassis and Angostura bitters darken a bourbon lemon sour.

Blackcurrant liqueur adds jammy depth to bourbon's caramel warmth while a dash of bitters keeps it structured. A smash with real color and character.

Ingredients

Directions

  1. Add ice to shaker
  2. Add all ingredients to shaker
  3. Shake well with ice
  4. Fill old-fashioned glass with ice
  5. Strain mixture into ice-filled glass
  6. Garnish with seasonal berries
View Full Recipe →
A photo of the King Cole Cocktail cocktail containing Savage & Cooke Cask Finished Bourbon, Fernet-Branca Amaro Liqueur, Giffard Sugar Cane Syrup (Sirop Sucre de Canne), Chilled water (reduce if wet ice) in a Martini.
#4 medium Other Family

King Cole Cocktail

A quarter ounce of Fernet-Branca gives this bourbon sipper menthol bite.

The King Cole is an Old Fashioned variation with Fernet's intense herbal bitterness replacing the usual bitters dash. Bold and bracing -- not for beginners.

Ingredients

Directions

  1. Chill martini glass
  2. Add ice to mixing glass
  3. Pour all ingredients into mixing glass
  4. Stir well with bar spoon
  5. Strain into chilled martini glass
  6. Garnish with orange and pineapple slices
View Full Recipe →
A photo of the The Bourbon-Cognac Sidecar cocktail containing Savage & Cooke Cask Finished Bourbon, Hennessy V.S. Cognac, Giffard Triple Sec, Freshly squeezed lime juice, Giffard Sugar Cane Syrup (Sirop Sucre de Canne) in a Martini.
#5 medium Other Family

The Bourbon-Cognac Sidecar

Bourbon and cognac share the base in a transatlantic sidecar.

Hennessy cognac and triple sec bring French sidecar DNA to a bourbon foundation. Lime and sugar keep the two brown spirits in harmony.

Ingredients

Directions

  1. Add ice to cocktail shaker
  2. Add all ingredients to shaker
  3. Shake vigorously
  4. Fine strain into chilled martini glass
  5. Express orange zest twist over drink and drop into glass
View Full Recipe →
A photo of the Bourbon Bijou Sour cocktail containing Savage & Cooke Cask Finished Bourbon, English orange marmalade, Peychaud's Bitters, Giffard Sugar Cane Syrup (Sirop Sucre de Canne) in a Martini.
#6 medium Other Family

Bourbon Bijou Sour

Orange marmalade and Peychaud's bitters give bourbon a breakfast twist.

A spoonful of English marmalade melts into bourbon with Peychaud's floral spice. A stirred sipper that tastes like a grown-up morning in a glass.

Ingredients

Directions

  1. Add ice to cocktail shaker
  2. Add all ingredients to shaker
  3. Shake vigorously
  4. Fine strain into chilled martini glass
  5. Express orange zest twist over drink and drop into glass
View Full Recipe →
A photo of the Peach Cobbler Sour cocktail containing Savage & Cooke Cask Finished Bourbon, Giffard Triple Sec, Peach purée, Southern Comfort, Freshly squeezed lemon juice, Giffard Sugar Cane Syrup (Sirop Sucre de Canne) in a Old-Fashioned.
#7 advanced Sidecar/New Orleans Sours & Riffs

Peach Cobbler Sour

Peach puree and Southern Comfort make this bourbon sour taste like summer.

Fresh peach puree, Southern Comfort, and triple sec pile stone-fruit sweetness onto a bourbon sour base. Lemon juice cuts through to keep things balanced.

Ingredients

Directions

  1. Fill old-fashioned glass with crushed ice
  2. Add all ingredients to cocktail shaker
  3. Add ice to shaker
  4. Shake well
  5. Strain into glass over crushed ice
  6. Garnish with peach slice and mint sprig
View Full Recipe →
A photo of the Bourbon Berry Bliss cocktail containing Savage & Cooke Cask Finished Bourbon, Chambord Liqueur, Cranberry juice, Freshly squeezed lemon juice, Giffard Sugar Cane Syrup (Sirop Sucre de Canne) in a Martini.
#8 medium Daiquiri/Classic Sours & Riffs

Bourbon Berry Bliss

Chambord and cranberry juice paint this bourbon sour a blushing pink.

Raspberry Chambord and tart cranberry juice bring berry brightness to bourbon's warmth. A crowd-pleasing cocktail that converts even non-whiskey drinkers.

Ingredients

Directions

  1. Chill martini glass
  2. Add all ingredients to cocktail shaker
  3. Add ice to shaker
  4. Shake vigorously
  5. Fine strain into chilled martini glass
  6. Garnish with raspberries
View Full Recipe →
A photo of the Lion's Tail cocktail containing Savage & Cooke Cask Finished Bourbon, St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram, Freshly squeezed lime juice, Giffard Sugar Cane Syrup (Sirop Sucre de Canne), Angostura Aromatic Bitters in a Coupe.
#9 medium Daiquiri/Classic Sours & Riffs

Lion's Tail

Allspice dram and Angostura bitters spice up a bourbon-lime sour.

St. Elizabeth allspice dram brings Caribbean warmth to Kentucky bourbon in a tightly balanced sour. Bitters and lime keep the spice from running away.

Ingredients

Directions

  1. Chill coupe glass
  2. Add all ingredients to cocktail shaker
  3. Add ice to shaker
  4. Shake vigorously
  5. Strain into chilled coupe glass
  6. Express lime zest twist over drink and drop into glass
View Full Recipe →
A photo of the New York Sour cocktail cocktail containing Savage & Cooke Cask Finished Bourbon, Freshly squeezed lemon juice, Giffard Sugar Cane Syrup (Sirop Sucre de Canne), Angostura Aromatic Bitters, Claret red wine in a Old-Fashioned.
#10 medium Daiquiri/Classic Sours & Riffs

New York Sour cocktail

A red wine float crowns this classic bourbon sour with claret drama.

The New York Sour's signature claret float adds tannic depth and visual drama to a straightforward bourbon sour. Two drinks in one glass.

Ingredients

Directions

  1. Add ice to shaker
  2. Add all ingredients except red wine to shaker
  3. Shake well with ice
  4. Fill old-fashioned glass with ice
  5. Strain mixture into ice-filled old-fashioned glass
  6. Drizzle red wine around the surface of the drink
  7. Express lemon zest twist over drink and drop into glass
View Full Recipe →
A photo of the Bramble Bourbon Smash cocktail containing Raspberries, Savage & Cooke Cask Finished Bourbon, Combier Crème de Mûre Blackberry Liqueur, Freshly squeezed lemon juice, Giffard Sugar Cane Syrup (Sirop Sucre de Canne) in a Old-Fashioned.
#11 medium Daiquiri/Classic Sours & Riffs

Bramble Bourbon Smash

Muddled raspberries and blackberry liqueur berry-bomb a bourbon sour.

Eight fresh raspberries and creme de mure pile berry flavor onto bourbon's oak backbone. A fruity smash that still tastes unmistakably like whiskey.

Ingredients

Directions

  1. Add ice to shaker
  2. Add all ingredients to shaker
  3. Shake well with ice
  4. Fine strain into chilled old-fashioned glass
  5. Garnish with mint sprig and three raspberries
View Full Recipe →
A photo of the Bourbon Milk Punch cocktail containing Savage & Cooke Cask Finished Bourbon, Giffard Sugar Cane Syrup (Sirop Sucre de Canne), Milk, Vanilla extract in a Collins.
#12 medium Highballs & Collinses

Bourbon Milk Punch

Milk, vanilla extract, and bourbon become a creamy, dessert-like sipper.

A New Orleans classic that turns bourbon into something dangerously smooth with whole milk and vanilla. A bourbon cocktail for people who think they don't like bourbon.

Ingredients

Directions

  1. Add ice to shaker
  2. Add all ingredients to shaker
  3. Shake well with ice
  4. Fill Collins glass with ice
  5. Strain mixture into ice-filled Collins glass
  6. Dust with grated nutmeg
View Full Recipe →
A photo of the Mississippi Punch cocktail containing Savage & Cooke Cask Finished Bourbon, Hennessy V.S. Cognac, Freshly squeezed lemon juice, Giffard Sugar Cane Syrup (Sirop Sucre de Canne), Chilled water in a Collins.
#13 medium Highballs & Collinses

Mississippi Punch

Bourbon and cognac share a long glass with lemon and chilled water.

Two brown spirits -- bourbon and Hennessy -- stretch out over lemon juice and water in a refreshing, old-school punch format. Easy drinking with real depth.

Ingredients

Directions

  1. Add ice to shaker
  2. Pour all ingredients into shaker
  3. Shake well with ice
  4. Fill Collins glass with crushed ice
  5. Strain mixture into glass
  6. Garnish with lemon slice
View Full Recipe →
A photo of the The Bourbon Martini cocktail containing Savage & Cooke Cask Finished Bourbon, Claret red wine, Freshly squeezed lemon juice, Giffard Sugar Cane Syrup (Sirop Sucre de Canne) in a Martini.
#14 medium Other Family

The Bourbon Martini

Claret red wine and bourbon shake up into a savory, tannic martini.

Red wine in a bourbon cocktail sounds risky, and it works brilliantly. The claret's tannins and bourbon's oak create a stirred drink with real structure.

Ingredients

Directions

  1. Add ice to cocktail shaker
  2. Add all ingredients to shaker
  3. Shake vigorously
  4. Fine strain into chilled martini glass
  5. Express orange zest twist over drink and drop into glass
View Full Recipe →
A photo of the Bourbon Rouge Sour cocktail containing Savage & Cooke Cask Finished Bourbon, Dubonnet Rouge, Giffard Sugar Cane Syrup (Sirop Sucre de Canne), Freshly squeezed lemon juice, Fee Brothers Fee Foam Egg White Alternative in a Old-Fashioned.
#15 medium Other Family

Bourbon Rouge Sour

Dubonnet Rouge and egg white foam wrap bourbon in velvety bitterness.

Dubonnet's quinine bitterness and berry-wine sweetness complement bourbon's caramel notes under a silky foam cap. A sour with old-world sophistication.

Ingredients

Directions

  1. Add ice to shaker
  2. Pour all ingredients into shaker
  3. Shake well with ice
  4. Fill old-fashioned glass with ice
  5. Strain mixture into ice-filled glass
  6. Express lemon zest twist over drink and drop into glass
View Full Recipe →
A photo of the Bourbon Berry Smash cocktail containing Raspberries, Savage & Cooke Cask Finished Bourbon, Chambord Liqueur, Freshly squeezed lime juice, Cranberry juice in a Collins.
#16 medium Sidecar/New Orleans Sours & Riffs

Bourbon Berry Smash

Twelve raspberries, Chambord, and cranberry triple down on berry power.

Fresh raspberries, raspberry liqueur, and cranberry juice create a triple-berry assault on bourbon. Lime keeps the fruit from overwhelming the whiskey.

Ingredients

Directions

  1. Muddle raspberries in base of shaker
  2. Add other ingredients to shaker
  3. Add ice to shaker and shake well
  4. Fill Collins glass with crushed ice
  5. Strain mixture into glass
  6. Garnish with raspberries and mint sprig
  7. Serve with straws
View Full Recipe →
A photo of the Bourbon Blush Royale cocktail containing Savage & Cooke Cask Finished Bourbon, Giffard Triple Sec, Peychaud's Bitters, Angostura Aromatic Bitters, Perrier Jouet Grand Brut Champagne in a Flute.
#17 medium Champagne Cocktails & Spritzes

Bourbon Blush Royale

Bourbon meets champagne with triple sec, Peychaud's, and Angostura.

Two different bitters plus triple sec and champagne dress bourbon up for a black-tie occasion. A sparkling bourbon cocktail with real celebratory energy.

Ingredients

Directions

  1. Chill flute glass
  2. Pour first four ingredients into chilled flute
  3. Top with champagne
  4. Garnish with orange zest twist
View Full Recipe →
A photo of the Bourbon Grapefruit Smash cocktail containing Maple syrup, Savage & Cooke Cask Finished Bourbon, Freshly squeezed pink grapefruit juice in a Old-Fashioned.
#18 easy Daiquiri/Classic Sours & Riffs

Bourbon Grapefruit Smash

Maple syrup and grapefruit juice make a three-ingredient bourbon wonder.

Just bourbon, maple syrup, and pink grapefruit -- stripped down to the essentials. Maple's sweetness and grapefruit's tart bite are all the bourbon needs.

Ingredients

Directions

  1. Add ice to shaker
  2. Pour all ingredients into shaker
  3. Shake well with ice
  4. Strain into ice-filled old-fashioned glass
  5. Express grapefruit zest twist over drink and drop into glass
View Full Recipe →
A photo of the Southern Savage Old-Fashioned cocktail containing Savage & Cooke Cask Finished Bourbon, Southern Comfort, Peychaud's Bitters in a Old-Fashioned.
#19 easy Old Fashioned & Riffs

Southern Savage Old-Fashioned

Southern Comfort and Peychaud's bitters remix the Old Fashioned formula.

Swapping simple syrup for Southern Comfort brings peach-spice sweetness to a bourbon Old Fashioned. Peychaud's floral bitters tie the Southern flavors together.

Ingredients

Directions

  1. Add ice to old-fashioned glass
  2. Stir all ingredients with ice in mixing glass
  3. Strain into ice-filled old-fashioned glass
  4. Garnish with orange zest twist
View Full Recipe →

Picking the Right Bourbon for Cocktails

Not all bourbons mix equally well. For shaken drinks with citrus and sweetener — sours, smashes, fizzes — a mid-range bourbon with a higher rye content (like a 60/40 corn-to-rye mashbill) gives you enough spice to cut through the other ingredients. Sweeter, wheated bourbons can get lost in a busy recipe.

For stirred drinks — Old Fashioneds, Manhattans, and anything served spirit-forward — that's where your nicer bottles earn their keep. The spirit is doing most of the talking in these builds, so the quality of the bourbon shows through directly. Cask-strength options also work well when you want a drink that doesn't dilute into the background after five minutes of ice contact.

Browse our full Bourbon collection to find the perfect bottle.
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Shop the Spirits in This Guide

Spirit Categories: Whiskey · Liqueurs · Bitters · Mixers · Amari & Aperitifs · Brandy & Cognac

Shop by Style: Bourbon Whiskey · Fruit Liqueurs · Herbal & Spiced Bitters · Herbal & Spice Liqueurs · Other Mixers · Cognac · Amaro · Aperitifs

Get Specific: Cask Finished Bourbon · Aromatic Bitters · Other Fruit Liqueur · Orange Liqueur · Other Herbal & Spice Liqueur · Other Mixers · VS Cognac · Raspberry Liqueur · Cherry Liqueur · Other Amaro

Why These Bourbon Cocktails?

We wanted a bourbon collection that goes deeper than the greatest hits. Yes, the Old Fashioned template shows up — but in forms you might not expect. The selection covers sours, smashes, highballs, and stirred cocktails, and deliberately includes builds that pair bourbon with unexpected partners like Bénédictine, cherry liqueur, and even cognac. Every recipe was pulled from our full library of 1,100+ cocktails and chosen because it does something genuinely worth trying with bourbon.

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