5 Ways To Elevate Your Bourbon Game

February 11, 2018

Bourbon is a classy drink, and even though dads might be wearing tuxedo shirts while sipping on it, they want their bourbon drinking to be classy, too. And our friends at Bespoke Post, who make “themed boxes for guys who give a damn,” have helped weigh in on some ways to really elevate the bourbon game for current and aspiring dads out there.

So you want to class things up in the drinking department? Try these five tips.

Buy Cask Strength Bourbon

When bourbons are made, they’re stored in charred, oak containers for years as they age and develop the rich flavors you know and love in your bourbon. But during that time, a lot of the water tends to evaporate. So depending on how long your bourbon spends aging, what started as a full barrel of whiskey can end up yielding just half a barrel worth of sweet Kentucky goodness.

This liquid tends to be much stronger than your typical bourbon: between 60-65% alcohol. Most bourbons you find in stores take the cask bourbon and mellow it down with water until it drops to that 50% mark. But if you really want to elevate your game, search for a cask strength bourbon — that is, bourbon that hasn’t been diluted after the fact.

This classes things up in a few ways. It’s stronger, it’s harder to find, but it also allows you to experiment. Try adding a few drops, or a drizzle, of water, and see how the taste changes. Or you can even mellow it with an ice cube. But when using ice, you have to elevate your game as well. Which is why we recommend…

Fancy Ice Cubes

Don’t just put any normal ice cube in your bourbon.

It’s just going to be a waste of your delicious hooch. Your standard ice cubes melt too fast, watering down the whiskey and leaving it with that sad, light “water with a touch of bourbon” sip at the bottom of your glass.

No, instead you need to invest in a cube tray specifically designed for bourbon.

There are a lot of options to choose from, but two main areas to decide between. You can either get a huge 2-inch ice cube tray, which makes you feel like you’re in a fancy speakeasy every time you drink, or you can go with the ice sphere trays, where you pour water into plastic circles and end up with a perfect globe of ice that won’t melt too quickly while making you feel like a mad scientist in the process. Both are easy to acquire, and a great way to show that you know what you’re doing with your bourbon.

Now, granted, there are many purists out there who would rather not have their bourbon diluted by any ice. But that doesn’t mean they can’t add a nice chill to the heat of their drink. That’s why there’s…

Whiskey Stones

Want to elevate your bourbon game without watering down your delicious glass of brown? Well then whiskey stones are the answer. These are cubes that you sock in the freezer to get cold, and when you pour yourself a drink, you plop them right in the glass. They cool down the bourbon slightly, mellowing out the drink, without watering anything down. And when you’re done, just rinse them, dry them, and put them back in the freezer. Who knew being classy was so easy?

A High End Glass Just For Bourbon

If you’re going to really dedicate yourself to being a bourbon dad, or even just a bourbon guy, you need to take care of your glassware. You want a specialized bourbon glass to show that you’re taking this whole thing seriously. It’s got to be a nice highball glass, something that’s short and sturdy. Of course, you can combine this step with the last step…

Get Yourself A Parlor Box From Bespoke Post

A subscription club for guys, Bespoke Post helps men mix drinks, travel in style, and deck out their pad with unique products and smart advice. The Parlor Box, one of their most popular boxes, has everything you need to show you’re a serious bourbon aficionado. Which is why Bespoke Post sponsored this article. Crafted by Italian glassblowers at Luigi Bormioli, this set has two dedicated bourbon glasses, a reclaimed wood bar tray, and, of course, a decanter. A decanter represents the pinnacle of bourbon drinking. It is the boss level of bourbon drinking.

Join The Club & Get Started With Bespoke Post

Once you have the bourbon parlor set, well, your journey is complete. You’ve elevated your bourbon game to the next level. And you’re looking good in the process. Dad would approve.