The Sweet Side of Bourbon
TIKI DRINKS
Yes, they're back. You may not have a Trader Vic's in your town, but tiki drinks are enjoying a vogue for summertime sipping. Since both bourbon and rum are on the sweet side, I'm perfectly happy to use bourbon in place of rum in many of my libation creations.
BOOTLEGGER 
My father was a rumrunner and my Granmom was a bootlegger. He brought it in and she sold it, and that's how my parents met. Hence me. A Rumrunner was a popular drink a few years ago and it made me think of my family. Granny, this one's for you!
1½ ounces Kentucky bourbon (80–90 proof)
1 ounce Cruzan banana rum
1 ounce blackberry brandy
½ ounce Rose's lime juice
½ ounce grenadine
Shake all ingredients over ice in a large Old Fashioned glass. Garnish with banana slices and fresh blackberries.
KENTUCKY BOURBON TIKI PUNCH 
Bourbon stands in for the rum in this classic West Indian punch.
2 ounces Kentucky bourbon (80–90 proof)
½ ounce brown sugar syrup
3 ounces fresh orange juice
3 ounces pineapple juice
½ ounce grenadine
To a pint glass filled with ice, add bourbon, brown sugar syrup, orange juice, and pineapple juice. Shake. Add more ice if needed; drizzle with grenadine and sprinkle nutmeg on top. Garnish with an orange slice and a cherry and serve with a long straw.
This reminds me of a certain canned fruit punch my kids loved to drink. But this version is all grown up, just like my kids.
1 ounce Kentucky bourbon (80–90 proof)
1 ounce vodka
1 ounce Southern Comfort
1 ounce grenadine
2 ounces fresh orange juice
Combine all ingredients over ice in a tall glass and shake. No garnish.
KENTUCKY MAI TAI 
1½ ounces Kentucky bourbon (80–90 proof)
1 ounce Amaretto Di Saronno
1 ounce triple sec
1 ounce fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon grenadine
Combine all ingredients and shake over ice. Strain into a chilled Martini glass. Garnish with a pineapple wedge, lime wheel, cherry, and—naturally—a paper umbrella.
KENTUCKY MAMA
2 ounces Kentucky bourbon (80–90 proof)
1 ounce coconut rum
1 ounce fresh orange juice
1 ounce pineapple juice
½ ounce grenadine
Combine all ingredients and shake over ice in a tall glass. Garnish with an orange wheel, a fresh pineapple wedge, and a cherry. Serve with a long straw.
1½ ounces Kentucky bourbon (80–90 proof)
¾ ounce brandy
1 ounce Amaretto Di Saronno
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon simple syrup
2 ounces fresh orange juice
Shake all ingredients over ice in a large Old Fashioned glass. Garnish with a large lemon twist, an orange wheel, and a cherry.
LIVING DEAD (OR KENTUCKY ZOMBIE)
The 1985 zombie movie Return of the Living Dead was set in Louisville (though it was actually filmed in California). So this is the drink to have with popcorn when watching your collection of classic zombie movies.
1½ ounces Kentucky bourbon (80–90 proof)
¾ ounce DeKuyper pomegranate liqueur
¾ ounce pineapple juice
½ ounce lime juice
½ ounce brown sugar syrup
¾ ounce Southern Comfort
½ ounce brandy
½ ounce 100-proof Kentucky bourbon
Combine all ingredients except the 100-proof bourbon in a tall glass with ice. Shake. Float the 100-proof bourbon on top. Garnish with a mint sprig, a pineapple wedge, an orange wheel, and a cherry. Serve with a long straw.
This is the Bluegrass version of a popular Bahamas drink.
1½ ounces Kentucky bourbon (80–90 proof)
1 ounce Cruzan coconut rum
1 ounce Cruzan pineapple rum
1 ounce Hiram Walker mango liqueur
1 ounce pineapple juice
Shake all ingredients over ice in a large Old Fashioned glass. Garnish with an orange wheel, a pineapple wedge, and a cherry.
DESSERT DRINKS
These are sure to please a grown-up's sweet tooth. You'll need a blender to execute the frozen recipes.
Derby Pie®, a traditional chocolate-nut chess pie, is a registered trademark of Kern's Kitchen in Louisville. You can find the pie in the freezer case at many Louisville area groceries and liquor stores.
2 ounces Kentucky bourbon (80–90 proof)
1 ounce Godiva chocolate liqueur
1 ounce Nocello liqueur
1 thin slice Derby Pie®, broken into small pieces
3 scoops vanilla ice cream
whipped cream
Combine bourbon, chocolate liqueur, Nocello liqueur, and ice cream in a blender with a little ice, and whirl until you have a frozen slurry. Pour into a chilled pint glass. Garnish with whipped cream, a few mini chocolate chips, a cherry, and a thin slice of Derby Pie®. Serve with a long straw.
KENTUCKY BOURBON BANANAS STEPHEN FOSTER 
2 ounces Kentucky bourbon (80–90 proof)
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1 ounce Cruzan banana rum
1 ounce brown sugar syrup
2 ripe bananas, peeled and cut in thirds
1 cup ice
Put in a blender the bourbon, cinnamon, rum, brown sugar syrup, and bananas, reserving one slice of banana for garnish. Add the ice on top, and whirl. Pour into a large wine glass. Garnish with the slice of banana and sprinkle a little cinnamon on top. Serve with a long straw.
KENTUCKY BOURBON FUDGE NUTTY
2 ounces Kentucky bourbon (80–90 proof)
1 ounce Godiva chocolate liqueur
½ ounce Frangelico
½ ounce praline liqueur
Combine all ingredients over ice, shake, and strain into a chilled glass. (Coating the inside of the glass with melted chocolate first is a nice touch.) Garnish with a cherry dipped in chocolate on a pick.
JUJU CORN COCKTAIL
Jujus, products of traditional mountain magic, were dolls made from dried gourds and ears of corn. They were hung over illegal stills to protect the moonshine from the revenuers.
1 ounce Kentucky bourbon (80–90 proof)
½ ounce Tuaca
½ ounce DeKuyper ButterShots schnapps
½ ounce Baileys Irish Cream
Shake all ingredients over ice and pour into a large shot glass.
2 ounces Kentucky bourbon (80–90 proof)
1 ounce brown sugar syrup
1 ounce Southern Comfort
1 ounce Baileys Irish Cream
2 ripe peaches, peeled and sliced
1 cup ice
Put all ingredients except ice in a blender, reserving one large slice of peach for garnish. Add the ice on top, and whirl. Pour into a large wine glass. Garnish with reserved peach slice and serve with a long straw.
PINEAPPLE WHIP
I was inspired to make this drink by the (non-alcoholic) pineapple whip that's a mainstay of the Kentucky State Fair.
2 ounces Kentucky bourbon (80–90 proof)
1 ounce brown sugar syrup
1 ounce Cruzan pineapple rum
1 cup fresh pineapple, peeled and cut into small pieces
1 cup ice
Put all ingredients except ice in a blender, reserving one pineapple wedge for garnish. Add the ice on top, and whirl. Pour into a large wine glass. Garnish with a cherry and reserved pineapple wedge. Serve with a long straw.
SNOWFLAKE
2 ounces Kentucky bourbon (80–90 proof)
4 tablespoons Coco Lopez cream of coconut
1 ounce Cruzan coconut rum
teaspoon ground cloves
1 tablespoon brown sugar syrup
1 cup ice
Put all ingredients in a blender and whirl. Dip the rim of a chilled Martini glass in simple syrup and then in shredded coconut. Pour the drink into the glass and serve.
2 ounces Kentucky bourbon (80–90 proof)
1 ounce Amaretto Di Saronno
1 ounce brown sugar syrup
1 ounce Smucker's strawberry syrup
1 cup sliced ripe strawberries
1 cup ice
Put all ingredients in a blender, reserving 1 large whole strawberry, and whirl. Pour into a large wine glass. Garnish with the whole strawberry on the rim. Serve with a long straw.
TOFFEE BAR
1 ounce Kentucky bourbon (80–90 proof)
½ ounce praline liqueur
½ ounce Kahlua
½ ounce DeKuyper ButterShots schnapps
½ ounce Baileys Irish Cream
Combine all ingredients over ice in a large Old Fashioned glass, and shake.