Kentucky Colonel
Bourbon and Bénédictine, stirred, with a lemon twist. The two-ingredient bourbon cocktail — honeyed, herbal and simple, and the best thing Bénédictine does with a whiskey.
Built to the standard modern spec; not yet tested in our kitchen. How we test.
The recipe.
Scaling adjusts quantities only. Prepare shaken drinks in individual portions.
Let’s make a good drink.
Add the bourbon and Bénédictine to a mixing glass.
Fill with ice and stir for 20 seconds.
Strain over a large ice cube in a rocks glass, or up into a chilled coupe.
Express a lemon twist over the top and drop it in.
A thoughtful finish
- Half an ounce of Bénédictine for two of bourbon; a quarter-ounce makes a drier drink.
- A high-rye or bonded bourbon keeps it from going soft.
- A dash of Angostura is not traditional but helps.
Common mistakes
- Equal parts, which is a liqueur drink.
- Skipping the twist; the lemon oil lifts it.
- Shaking.
A few good questions.
What does a Kentucky Colonel taste like?
Bourbon with honey and herbs — sweet-edged, warm and simple, like a Rusty Nail with bourbon.
What is Bénédictine?
A French herbal liqueur from Fécamp, 40%, with honey, saffron and some twenty-seven botanicals.
Rocks or up?
Rocks is the usual; up is drier and colder.
Is it a Rusty Nail?
Same idea — spirit plus a sweet herbal liqueur. The Rusty Nail is Scotch and Drambuie.
Variations
- Rusty Nail — Scotch and Drambuie.
- B&B — Cognac and Bénédictine.
- Monte Carlo — Rye, Bénédictine and bitters.
- Old Fashioned — Bourbon, sugar and bitters.
Where it comes from
c. 1940s · United States
Contested. More than one origin is claimed for this drink. We show the competing accounts rather than pick one.
The Kentucky Colonel is a mid-twentieth-century American drink — bourbon with a little Bénédictine, stirred, with a lemon twist — printed in the Old Mr. Boston guides and in Trader Vic’s, and named for the honorary title the Commonwealth of Kentucky hands out. It is the bourbon equivalent of the Scotch-and-Drambuie Rusty Nail or the cognac B&B: a spirit with a sweet herbal liqueur as its only modifier, so the liqueur’s honey and saffron and the bourbon’s vanilla do the whole job. It is usually served on the rocks in a short glass, and a half-ounce of Bénédictine against two of bourbon is enough.
Sources
- Old Mr. Boston De Luxe Official Bartender's Guide, 1949 (book)
- Victor Bergeron, Trader Vic's Bartender's Guide, 1947 (book)
- Difford's Guide, Kentucky Colonel, 2010 (reference)
Strength. About 1.83 US standard drinks at an estimated 36.7% ABV, estimated from the ingredients and technique, not measured. What that means.
A little character in every sip.
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