The Best Herbs For Infusing Bourbon

If you're a bourbon drinker, you might want a fresh way to spruce the booze up for your next partaking. There are many classic bourbon cocktail recipes that you can try to switch it up — but sometimes the spirit itself could use a little improvement. An easy, but mildly time-consuming, manner to enhance bourbon's flavor is to infuse it with herbs that might already be in your kitchen. To get it right and not waste the alcohol (gasp!), we spoke to Anton Kinloch, a bartender at Lone Wolf, about the best herbs to use.

"Herbs play nicely with bourbon in various capacities," explains Kinloch, who is also part of New York Bartender Week. "Rosemary, thyme, [and] sage are all phenomenal in infusions ... and add a depth of flavor to an existing cocktail." Those are some of the main herbs that elevate bourbon with various flavors, and they can even be used together, but they're not your only options.

Mint, tarragon, and your other favorite herbs also work. Whichever herbs you use, Kinloch says, "Ideally, they should be fresh and intact, not dried or powdered." Combine any of the fresh herbs with other ingredients like cinnamon sticks, peppercorns, spices like clove, and fresh fruit to balance the booze and meet your desired flavor profile.

After you have the herbs and a bottle of one of the best bourbons ready to go, it's time for the work to begin before you can get boozy. According to Anton Kinloch's expertise, it will take between three and seven days to infuse the bourbon, so be patient. You'll want around two tablespoons of your chosen fresh herbs for every two cups of bourbon. Add the herbs to a mason jar (or another air-tight container), then fill with the bourbon accordingly. Store the jar in a cool, dry, safe place and shake occasionally to disperse the flavor. After three days, taste, then add more herbs and increase the infusion time for up to a week until your desired taste is reached.

When the wait is finally over, there are many ways to use the herb-infused bourbon. If you like the booze neat or on the rocks, consider a garnish of the herbs to elevate the glass. Of course, there are also many cocktails that can be elevated with your hard work. Our winter boulevardier would be a flavorful way to use bourbon infused with rosemary. You can even give an upgrade to a classic bourbon cocktail, perhaps to give an herby twist to an smooth old fashioned or Manhattan.