Ginger Is The Perfect Addition To Bourbon Cocktails

Fresh herbs are not just for enhancing and giving life to the flavors of the foods we cook in the kitchen. According to A Bar Above, herbs play an important role in the cocktail creations we make in our home bars. Mint has long been the secret to a mint julep or a lovely mojito and a gin basil smash without basil wouldn't be the same. But when it comes to adding a little treacly kick to a cocktail, ginger is the true spicy siren. This herb can add just the burst of sweet heat your taste buds will enjoy sipping on. 

Often described as both peppery and aromatic, per John Hopkins Medicine, ginger's vibrant flavor can be found in beverages we consume and foods we love to eat. Healthline says ginger comes from a flowering plant that was originally found in Southeast Asia and its rhizome is what is used to create the ginger teas, ales, and spices we know and love. Liquor.com shares ginger pairs well with several different alcohols, including vodka in a Moscow Mule, and rum is the base of a Dark and Stormy, in which ginger also makes a cameo. 

But those aren't the only alcohols that work well with this herb. Ginger's warmth adds a tantalizing sweetness and flavorful quality that makes it the perfect addition to bourbon cocktails. 

Bourbon, per New Riff Distilling, is comprised of at least 51% corn and a blend of "rye or wheat, and malted barley."  Flavorman explains bourbon's flavor is greatly influenced by the white-oak barrels it is aged in, soaking in the woodsy "vanilla" and "caramel" tastes associated with this alcohol. But mix it with ginger and those flavors get a bit of a kick. Why do these flavors work so well?

According to Makers Mark, ginger and bourbon have a bit of history together. The alcohol maker notes when the two are married together, the "spice" of the ginger and the "caramel" flavors of the bourbon are like the DC Comic's Wonder Twins, forming a tasty adult drink. The combination of the two has resulted in cocktails like the Bourbon Buck and the Horse's Neck. A Couple Cooks notes when you mix ginger ale with bourbon, you get a beautiful sweet whisky ginger. Of course, if you want something a little milder, you could try a Rye & Ginger to satisfy that desire for a little something refreshing, but tart.