We’ve already covered the fact that June is one of the booziest months of the year. After all, it’s a month that contains National Moonshine Day (first Thursday in June), National Bubbly Day (first Saturday in June), National Cognac Day (June 4th), National Name Your Poison Day (June 8th), National Rosé Day (second Saturday in June), and National Martini Day (June 19th), but we’re not going to concern ourselves with any of those on this day. Instead, we’re going to talk about National Bourbon Day (June 14th). A holiday we hold close to our hearts.

Bourbon is a versatile drink that can be enjoyed in any number of different ways. It can be enjoyed neat, on the rocks, with just a splash of water, with a mixer, or our favorite way to enjoy it, in bourbon cocktails. There are hundreds of different cocktails that use bourbon as their base, so we decided we would do some independent research and find out which ones were the best.

The New York Sour

The New York Sour is a cocktail that’s rumored to have first been made during the 1880s. It was created in Chicago by a bartender. Below is our favorite version of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 2 ounces of bourbon
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon simple syrup
• 2 tablespoons zinfandel
• 1 strip of lemon zest

Directions:

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Once that’s done, add the bourbon, lemon juice, and simple syrup. Apply the lid and shake until foamy and chilled, which should only be about 15-20 seconds. Strain into a rocks glass filled with large ice cubes.

Slowly and gently pour the wine over the back of a spoon held just over the surface of the cocktail. This should allow the wine to float at the top of the glass. Take a lemon peel, pinch it, and then rub it over the rim of the glass. When that’s done, add the peel to the glass and serve the drink immediately.

The Old Fashioned

During the 1870s and 1880s, many bartenders began to make subtle and often controversial changes to whiskey cocktails, and the Old Fashioned was one of these changes. Although many people disliked that whiskey drinks were evolving beyond whiskey, sugar, bitters, and water, the Old Fashioned became an almost immediate hit. Let’s make one, shall we?

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 3 dashes of Angostura bitters
• 1 teaspoon purified water
• 2 ounces of bourbon
• Orange twist garnish

Directions:

In a mixing glass, add sugar and bitters. Then add the water and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Next, fill the mixing glass with ice, add the bourbon, and stir until the mixture is well-chilled. Strain into a rocks glass over a solitary large ice cube. Express the oil of an orange twist over the glass, then place it into the glass to garnish.

Gold Rush

The Gold Rush is a bourbon-based cocktail that made it onto our list because it’s one of the perfect summer drinks. Although this drink has only been around since the early 2000s, it has somehow managed to capture our hearts. There are variations on this cocktail, but the following one is our favorite.

Ingredients:

• 3 ounces honey
• 1 ounce warm water
• 2 ounces of bourbon
• 3/4 ounce fresh lemon juice
• 3/4 ounce additional honey syrup

Directions:

First, you have to make honey syrup. This can be done by combining 3 ounces of honey with 1 ounce of warm water. Shake until it’s well combined and then set aside.

Next, fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice. Add the honey syrup, bourbon, and lemon juice. Shake until chilled (about 20 seconds). Strain into a rocks glass filled with one large cube. Add additional honey syrup as desired.

Whiskey Smash

Why does it seem like all of the best bourbon-based cocktails come out of the 19th century? All we know is that the Whiskey Smash is another great cocktail that was first made in 1887. Now, it has made its way up in the world and onto this list.

Ingredients:

• 3 lemon wedges
• 2 ounces of bourbon
• ¾ ounce simple syrup
• 4 mint leaves
• Mint sprig garnish

Directions:

Muddle the lemon wedges in a cocktail shaker. Add the bourbon, simple syrup, mint leaves, and ice. Shake for about 20 seconds or until well-chilled. Double-strain the concoction into a rocks glass over ice. Garnish with a mint sprig and serve immediately.

Bourbon-Ade

Another recipe that we like is called Bourbon-Ade. It just sort of surfaced on the Internet. But this refreshing twist on lemonade is sure to hit the spot. With that said, let’s take a look at what makes this bourbon cocktail perfect for June.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 ounce triple sec liqueur
• 1.25 ounces of bourbon
• 4 ounces lemonade
• 1 lemon wedge

Directions:

Place all the ingredients into a cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously for about 20 seconds. Place ice in a glass and then pour the cocktail over it. Garnish it with a lemon wedge and serve immediately.

Well, that does it for us today, folks. We hope the above bourbon cocktail recipes allow you to not only observe National Bourbon Day with style but also enjoy the whole month. Until next time, be safe out there and remember to always drink in moderation.