Cocktails
You can serve bourbon straight, with water, over ice cubes or mixed into cocktails like the iconic Manhattan, the Old Fashioned and the very timely Mint Julep, made famous as the drink of choice at the running of the Kentucky Derby the first Saturday in May. Bourbon production is mostly centered in Kentucky, it must be at least 51 percent corn and aged in charred-oak barrels, which adds the characteristic color and flavor. There is no requirement for aging, but most high-end bourbons are aged for six years for longer.