The first weekend in May belongs to the Mint Julep. But any other time than the Derby, many bourbon-loving Kentuckians keep their tipple simple. Branch water is just an old way of referring to water from a creek that branches from a larger river. Therein lies a more important truth—sometimes the best thing to mix with bourbon is just a very small amount of water. (Just ask any master distiller.) Water opens up bourbon, releasing more flavors. Try it: Pour an ounce of bourbon in a rocks glass. Give it a good sniff and a sip. Now, use an eye dropper to add a drop or two of water and test those senses again. Experiment concluded, pour more for proper sipping.
Drinks
Bourbon and Branch: A Cocktail for Kentucky
It doesn’t get much easier—or better—than this
Ingredients
-
2 oz. bourbon
¼ tsp. good-quality still water, or a single ice cube
Preparation
Combine. Sip slowly and savor.
Related Stories:
Recipe
Classic mashed potatoes get the cream cheese and garlic treatment
Trending Stories:
Arts & Culture
For almost fifty years, they carried the bags of golf legends but also masterminded victories from the tees to the holes. Then, with one decision, their lives shifted, and the legacy of their glory days went unheralded. Finally, that’s changing
Food & Drink
Step aside New York and Chicago: Biloxi, Mississippi, has a secret pizza ingredient that’s ready for the spotlight
Arts & Culture
Decades later, those dainty florals still hold a powerful grip on the South