Bourbon may be the current champ for “trendy” liquor. At least in certain circles.
Say “bourbon” at a golf course, for example, and prepare to lose your afternoon to Pappy Van Winkle stories!
But there are many other fun choices out there that may even be “better than bourbon” for spicing up your next get together.
Here are the seven most promising…
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Popular brands: Hibiki and Yamazaki
“Better than bourbon” street cred: I’ve personally had quite a few conversations with bourbon connoisseurs where someone tries to impress the group by mentioning Japanese whisky. For good reason! If you love bourbon, you should definitely see what all the talk is about!
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Popular brands: Ilegal and Del Maguey
“Better than bourbon” street cred: Think of it as a smokier, arguably fancier tequila. Enough said!
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Popular brands: Pernod and La Fee
“Better than bourbon” street cred: The Green Fairy got much of its street cred when it was banned in the early 1900’s. Now that it’s legal (and under FDA guidance) in the U.S., you can get that eye-catching green color and distinct anise flavor complete with the ritual of laying your spoon across the glass to melt the sugar cube with water.
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Popular brands: Appleton, El Dorado, Flor de Cana, and Mount Gay.
“Better than bourbon” street cred: You can make all of those wonderful tropical cocktails (e.g. Mai Tai), of course. But you can also mimic bourbon a bit by making a rum old fashioned or sipping it with ice or neat.
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Popular brands: Ritual Zero Proof, Lyre’s, Seedlip
“Better than bourbon” street cred: Particularly interesting to Gen Z and Millenials, the “sober-curious” can enjoy the same type of elaborate cocktails but without the alcohol…or the hangover!
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Popular brands: Luzhou Laojiao, Fenjiu, and Wuliangye.
“Better than bourbon” street cred: This clear grain alcohol elicits the same type of pride in China as bourbon does in Kentucky. Its use of a fermentation starter (qu) and its complexity of potential flavors makes baijiu an adventure of its own!
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Popular brands: Clase Azul, Patron, Don Julio, Herradura
“Better than bourbon” street cred: Reposado means “rested” because it’s tequila that’s been aged up to a year (blanco is unaged and anejo is aged one to three years). Much like with bourbon, aging adds complexity to the flavor of tequila. You get hints of the oak barrels, for example.
Follow The Coconut Mama
• For fun lists, healthy living tips, and bar conversation topics, make sure to follow The Coconut Mama. Click here to access The Coconut Mama’s profile page and be sure to hit the Follow button here or at the top of this article!
• Have feedback? Add a comment below!
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