Cocktail

23 Bourbon Cocktails for Dinner Parties and Quiet Evenings by the Fire

These classics—and new drinks—will keep you warm all winter.

By Maggie Hoffman and The Editors of Epicurious

October 20, 2022

3 Paradise Apple Thanksgiving cocktails in coupes with apple garnish.

This collection of bourbon cocktails is my favorite kind of winter project: a cool-weather bucket list. Before fall and winter are over, I want to walk among colorful leaves, gather around a bonfire, build a snowman, and sip my way across the canon of classic bourbon drinks—plus a few newer concoctions that have become Epicurious staff favorites. Below you’ll find hot toddies and festive holiday cocktails, easy equal-parts drinks and big-batch cocktails for a crowd. Spend bourbon season sipping through this list, and you just might find a new favorite whiskey cocktail before spring arrives.

Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Michelle Gatton
1/23
Old-Fashioned
We'll kick off the list with an old-school drink that never gets old. This is one of those bourbon cocktails that's best with a bourbon you really love—there's really nowhere for a sub-par spirit to hide.
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Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Judy Haubert
2/23
Classic Whiskey Sour
Go ahead and drink this perfectly-balanced bourbon sour in a coupe glass with an egg white and no ice—or serve it on the rocks if you prefer. Both ways have historical precedent, and both are delicious.
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Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich
3/23
Paper Plane
If you like drinks that are tart and a little bit bitter, you'll love this simple cocktail, which perfectly balances bourbon, Aperol, lemon, and citrusy, luscious Amaro Nonino.
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Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Michelle Gatton. Glassware by Riedel.
4/23
Manhattan
While sometimes only a Manhattan made with peppery rye whiskey will do, using bourbon instead gives the drink a rounder, sweeter profile.
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Photo by Andy Sewell
5/23
Kentucky Buck
Here's a tall refresher, made with bourbon, fresh lemon, muddled strawberries, Angostura bitters, and spicy ginger beer. For the best flavor, waiting for spring on this one might make sense.
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Photo by Paul H. Christian, Food Styling by Michele Figliuolo
6/23
Brown Derby
This honey-sweetened bourbon drink, which dates back to the Prohibition era, only has three ingredients: the whiskey, the honey, and grapefruit juice.
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Photo by Kelly Puleio
7/23
Newton's Law
This one's about as easy as whiskey cocktails get. Shake together bourbon, lemon, brown sugar, and store-bought or homemade apple butter for a flavor that's pure fall.
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Photo by Paul H. Christian, Food Styling by Michele Figliuolo
8/23
Hot Toddy
You can actually toddy any drink, but this classic formula is great with a simple pour of bourbon.
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Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Lillian Chou
9/23
Paradise Apple
Thinking about Thanksgiving cocktail options? I highly recommend this recipe for your Turkey Day drinking. Bartender Lynnette Marrero layers bourbon, cider, dry riesling, and a touch of floral liqueur for a cocktail that's sophisticated and bright.
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Photo by Julie Soefer
10/23
Old Pepper
In this drink from Alba Huerta's Julep, bourbon and turbinado syrup (made from Sugar in the Raw) meet savory Worcestershire sauce and Crystal hot sauce.
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Photo by Paul H. Christian, Food Styling by Michele Figliuolo
11/23
Mint Julep
The best way to pack your julep with flavor is to start with an easy fresh mint simple syrup. (The extra syrup is also great in hot cocoa or coffee.)
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Photo by Shutterstock
12/23
Boulevardier
This relative of the Negroni is especially great in cooler weather. You can make it with your favorite bourbon—or rye.
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Photo by Ed Anderson
13/23
Thunderer
This spicy bourbon drink comes from bartender Christiaan Röllich's book, Bar Chef. Ginger, chile de árbol, and fresh grapefruit are wonderful together.
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Photo by Shutterstock
14/23
Uncle Angelo’s Eggnog With Bourbon and Rum
This isn't your average eggnog. It comes from cocktail legend Dale DeGroff's uncle, and it has a few tricks up its sleeve: twice as much milk as cream makes it light, and the whipped egg whites make it super-frothy.
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Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton
15/23
Turmeric Hot Toddy
This golden-hued hot toddy from Claire Sprouse of Brooklyn’s Hunky Dory is wonderfully savory from the combination of Amontillado sherry and earthy turmeric. Bourbon is ideal here, since it latches right into the nutty, rich flavors of the sherry.
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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Kate Schmidt
16/23
Cherry-Bourbon Soda Can Cocktail
File this one away for warmer weather: Adding bourbon and bittersweet Campari to cherry cola makes for a sweet, spicy, and refreshing backyard drink.
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Dan Monick
17/23
The New York Sour
To get the look of this fancy sour, you'll gently pour red wine (such as Shiraz or Malbec) over the back of a spoon held just above the drink's surface, so the wine floats on top.
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Photo by Paul H. Christian, Food Styling by Michele Figliuolo
18/23
Strawberry, Grapefruit, and Chamomile Brunch Punch
This brunch drink pairs bourbon with grapefruit juice, chamomile tea, and strawberries. If you can get loose chamomile flowers, use them as a garnish for each glass.
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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Ali Nardi
19/23
Mike's Milk Punch
This frothy, creamy cocktail feels festive without any eggs in the mix. It's simply made with bourbon, half and half, milk, vanilla extract, sugar, and freshly grated whole nutmeg.
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Sheri Giblin
20/23
Rittenhouse Inn Wassail Punch
Here's a cozy, comforting classic, made with apple cider, cranberry juice, and bourbon, and spiced with cloves and fresh ginger.
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Photo by Paul H. Christian, Food Styling by Michele Figliuolo
21/23
Gold Rush
Keep it simple with this easy combo: Bourbon, honey, lemon. Shake, shake, shake.
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Photo by Bobbi Lin
22/23
Earl Grey–Bourbon Punch
Need a large-format drink for a winter gathering? This one highlights the bergamot notes of Earl Grey tea along with fresh thyme and rosemary.
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Photo by Peden & Munk
23/23
Batched Manhattan
Here's one more option for any time you need bourbon cocktails for a crowd—or you're just planning ahead so you can always have Manhattans on hand.
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Maggie Hoffman, formerly the Digital Director of Epicurious, is a freelance editor and writer based in Brooklyn. She is the author of Batch Cocktails: Make-Ahead Drinks for Every Occasion and The One-Bottle Cocktail: More than 80 Recipes with Fresh Ingredients and a Single Spirit, both published by Ten Speed Press,... Read more

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