White BourbonCocktail recipe
Rating
Can you make this?
Add the ingredients you have at home to your My Bar and we'll show you what cocktails you can make. Start off by adding the ingredients you have for this cocktail using the plus icons.
White Bourbon is a creamy, coffee-forward short drink that sits in the after-dinner, liqueur-led family of cocktails. Despite the name, you’ll find it drinks more like a smooth coffee-and-cream sipper with a whiskey accent than a bourbon base. It feels like a modern, bar-friendly twist on the familiar idea of pairing coffee liqueur with dairy, built for comfort and easy indulgence rather than a deep historical pedigree.
On the palate, the coffee liqueur brings the main body: dark, sweet coffee richness with a lingering roasted edge. Vodka adds clean lift and extra strength without changing the flavour direction, keeping the focus on the liqueur. A dash of bourbon threads in a warm, oaky note that peeks through the sweetness, while the cream tops everything off with a soft, velvety finish that rounds the coffee into something dessert-like.
Serve it in a whisky glass when you want something soothing and unhurried—ideal after dinner, as a nightcap, or whenever you’re craving a coffee-and-cream vibe without an actual hot drink. If you like creamy cocktails and sweet, roasted flavours, this one lands squarely in your comfort zone.
Microbadges
Can you make this?
Add the ingredients you have at home to your My Bar and we'll show you what cocktails you can make. Start off by adding the ingredients you have for this cocktail using the plus icons.
Tags
Cocktail Colin says:
Coffee liqueur leads with deep roasted sweetness, rounded by a generous cream top-up, while vodka keeps the body clean and the bourbon dash adds a faint woody warmth that lingers under the coffee-and-cream. It works because the cream softens the liqueur’s intensity and the bourbon’s spice gives definition; ideal for after-dinner drinkers who like rich, dessert-leaning sippers.
Method
How to make a White Bourbon
- Vodka 30ml, Bourbon Dash, Coffee liqueur 60ml, Cream Top up
-
- Layer the ingredients in an old fashioned glass over ice
-
- Stir before serving
Power tips
Elevate the White Bourbon with these master mixologist tips
Upgrade to premium
And receive world class tips on how to raise your cocktails to the next level.
Find out more- Upgrade to premium to receive power tips from top bartenders around the world. Raise you mixology game.
- Read the tweaks that take this simple cocktail to the next level of greatness. Become the next best mixologist which people all talk about.
Your private tasting notes
Featured in
FAQ's
How do I properly stir the White Bourbon to ensure optimal flavor?
To stir the White Bourbon effectively, place the coffee liqueur, vodka, and a dash of bourbon into the whisky glass filled with ice. Use a long-handled bar spoon and stir the mix gently but thoroughly for about 20 to 30 seconds. This method blends the ingredients well without diluting the cocktail too much, preserving its rich flavors.
What is the best way to serve the White Bourbon cocktail to enhance its flavors?
The White Bourbon should be served in a whisky glass, as recommended. To enhance its flavors, ensure the glass is pre-chilled. After stirring the drink with ice as per the preparation technique, strain it into the chilled whisky glass and top it up with cream. The cream adds a smooth texture and complements the bold flavors of coffee liqueur, vodka, and bourbon.
If I don't have coffee liqueur, what can I use as a substitute in the White Bourbon cocktail?
If you're out of coffee liqueur, you can substitute it with a strong brewed espresso or coffee syrup. Use the same quantity as the recipe suggests for coffee liqueur. This substitution will maintain the coffee flavor profile essential to the cocktail, though the overall sweetness might be slightly altered.
How does the alcohol content of a White Bourbon compare to that of a standard cocktail?
The White Bourbon has an alcohol content of 10.43%, which is slightly lower than many standard cocktails, which typically range from 15% to 30% alcohol by volume (ABV). This makes the White Bourbon a milder option, suitable for those who prefer a less potent drink but still want to enjoy the depth of flavor in a cocktail.
For what occasions is the White Bourbon most suitable?
Given its unique blend of flavors and moderate alcohol content, the White Bourbon is well-suited for relaxed evening gatherings, dinner parties, or as a sophisticated after-dinner drink. Its rich coffee and cream tones make it an excellent choice for those who enjoy a cocktail that complements a wide variety of desserts and indulgent dishes.
Upgrade your mixology
Become a member for free taking your cocktail making skills up to level 11. Or become a premium member to rise to cocktail greatness.
- Save your bar forever
- Access to our Cocktail Creator, allowing you to create your own wonderful concoctions.
- Access to Cocktail Colin; ask Cocktail Colin anything on an individual cocktail and he'll give you the answers you need.
- Create personalised cocktail menus for all your events, bars or parties
- Save cocktails to personalised 'Tried' and 'Want to try' lists
- Create and record tasting notes on cocktails
- Create lists of cocktails to share with friends and family
- A personalised MyBar URL, allowing you to share everything you can make with friends
- And much more ... (what to buy next, measurement choices, search personalisation...)
Have you tried our Wordpress Plugin?
Download our plugin and embed cocktail recipes directly onto your own site or blog.
Choose from our whole recipe database, or choose a specific cocktail made with a certain ingredient, and let us place a beautiful recipe on your own site.
Find out moreYou might also like
Dive into this robust mix of spirits and cola
Long Island Iced Tea
White rum, Gin, Tequila blanco, Vodka, Cointreau, Cola, Lemon juice, Sugar / simple syrup
Experience this crisp vodka cocktail with a sparkling finish.
French 76
Vodka, Champagne / prosecco, Sugar / simple syrup, Lemon juice
Try this classic blend of vodka and coffee liqueur
Black Russian
Vodka, Coffee liqueur
Sample this perfectly balanced espresso cocktail.
Espresso Martini (Stefano D’Orsogna Variation)
Vodka, Coffee liqueur, Sugar / simple syrup, Coffee
Create a cocktail
Choose a theme and some ingredients, give us some description and we'll create an amazing cocktail for you.
Register as a Premium Make Me a Cocktail community member and get access to an even more powerful creator.
Start creatingBuild your bar
Tell us what you have at home and we’ll find a delicious cocktail for you to make right now.
Register as a Make Me a Cocktail community member and we’ll save your ingredients list so you can come back to it at any time.
Create My Bar
Cocktail Colin
Your cocktail expert
Hi! I'm Cocktail Colin
Ask me anything about this cocktail - how to make it, substitutions, variations, or any other questions!
Become a member to access Cocktail Colin
Become a member (for free) to pick Cocktail Colin's cocktail filled brain on everything on this cocktail, from substitutions, if you can use what you have, to serving suggestions and more.
Become a member
Comments