As much as I like to experiment with new drinks and explore the classics with lost bitters and obscure liqueurs sometimes I just want to make an easy and enjoyable drink. When I’m feeling lazy I’ll usually just make a highball (spirit + soda) one of my favorite being a bourbon and cola.

When making a whiskey and caol the reason I prefer bourbon is because I find that the sweetness of the corn used to make bourbon plays nicest with cola. When I make whiskey with ginger ale I like using rye because the spiciness of the rye plays nicest with the ginger.

You want to use a quality bourbon but nothing too expensive as the high top self brands should be enjoyed neat, with a little or water or at worst in a simple Manhattan or Old Fashioned. Elijah Craig 12 year old bourbon is a small batch bourbon that is usually bottled from 100 barrels or less. It has won double gold medals at the world spirits competition in San Fransisco and a bottle can almost always be had for less than $25.

If you can find Fentiman’s Curiosity Cola (the best cola in the world) this is the time to pull that sucker out to make a cocktail. If you can’t find it try to use something other than standard Coca-Cola or Pepsi. Maybe you can find GUS’s Dry Cola, Boylan’s Cane Cola or China Herbal Cola, if not of course no one is going to arrest you for using the mass produced stuff it does however feel like a sin to mix a nice small batch bourbon with a mass produced cola that uses high fructose corn syrup (yuck!) see if you can find a brand that uses cane sugar instead.

As far as making the drink goes it really could not be simpler, ice, as much bourbon as you desire, your cola of choice and perhaps a few homemade brandied or drunken cherries. Cheers!

The Bourbon and Cola

Bourbon

A bottle of cola made with cane sugar

Crushed or cubed ice

A couple of brandied cherries

Fill glass with ice. Add as much bourbon as you like. Top with cola and garnish with brandied cherries.