For this week’s Cocktail of the Week series, we’ve rounded up the best bourbon cocktails and bottles in celebration of National Bourbon Day. Whether you’re a serious whiskey connoisseur and you like your bourbon straight up, no ice, or you prefer to add some flavor to your drink, Elite Traveler has you covered.
Woodford Reserve Batch Proof 123.2
Part of the Master’s Collection portfolio, Woodford Reserve Batch Proof 123.2 is a delicious blend of fruity and nutty. Notes of dried apricot and dark chocolate give way for faint cinnamon and clove to come through. It’s perfectly balanced and aromas of coffee and hazelnuts give it more depth. It’s higher proof compared to Woodford Reserve’s 90 proof and is the second Batch Proof expression in the company’s portfolio. $130, woodfordreserve.com
Memphis Punch
Scarfes Bar at Rosewood London
- Maker’s Mark Scarfes Select
- Grilled Corn
- BBQ
- Clarified Milk
- Kola & Marshmallow
Each April, the famous Scarfes Bar at Rosewood London changes its wildly inventive cocktail menu to another. Head bartender Yann Bouvignies and director of bars Martin Siska, along with the rest of the Scarfes team, conceptualized a music-focused menu for its 2019 menu focusing on music from around the world. The menu features nine genres of music, each with two drinks per genre whose name and ingredients reflect that era of music. For the ‘Soul’ section of the menu, they were inspired by Memphis. The Memphis Punch is your classic milk punch with a twist: Grilled Corn and BBQ, plus a traditional American bourbon, reflect on the local fare. Sit in the bar, listen to the jazz band play iterations of your favorite soul songs and relax – Scarfes Bar is a can’t-miss while in London. scarfesbar.com
Bardstown Bourbon
There’s nothing more American than a blend of four Kentucky straight bourbons. The all-new Discover Series #1 bottle combines bourbons aged 5 to 13 years, resulting in a balanced expression blending the best of four Bardstown expressions including flavors from deep tobacco and leather to baking spices and fruit. The limited-edition bottle was created four talented distillers and bourbon connoisseurs: Master Distiller Steve Nally (former Master Distiller at Maker’s Mark); John Hargrove, vice president of manufacturing operations; Dan Callaway, director of bourbon education; and Bottle & Bond Kitchen and Bar executive chef, Felix Mosso. The whiskey distillery produces custom rye, whiskey and bourbon for prominent brands. This is one bottle you’ll need to get your hands on. $130, bardstownbourbon.com
Remus Repeal Reserve Series II
Following the success of the award-winning Remus Repeal Reserve Series I, the second iteration is a limited-edition expression of straight bourbon whiskey that delights just as much as the first. George Remus made bourbon during the Prohibition under the facade of using bourbon for ‘medicinal purposes.’ This Series II is comprised of four different expressions of bourbon from different years, each with varying percentages of rye. The result is a bold flavor with aromas of vanilla, toasted oak and maple; tasting notes of vanilla, caramel and bold spice; and a rich-and-bold finish with maple and rye spice. $85, georgeremus.com
georgeremus.com