October heralds the beginning of Fall, which in my mind also means the beginning of bourbon cocktail season. Sure, there are plenty of spring and summer cocktail recipes that involve bourbon (I’m particularly partial to bourbon smashes), but on cool fall and winter nights there’s just nothing better than a nice bourbon hot toddy or even a spiked coffee cocktail. So today I thought I’d round up a few of my favorite bourbon cocktail recipes from the OSBP cocktail recipe archives!

1. I’m absolutely obsessed with the way all the flavors of this Bourbon Pear Vanilla Bean Smash combine into one seriously delicious drink. And generally, we’ve discovered that vanilla bean in cocktails is just always a good idea. We HIGHLY recommend considering this cocktail for any fall dinner party menus, or even for Thanksgiving!
2. Maple Bourbon Hot Toddy. Warm, oakey, sweet, and just a little bit spicey. Just the thing for a cozy night at home.
3. You really can’t go wrong with the classic Mint Julep, and our Basil-Mint Julep can be enjoyed all year long.
4. Raised in a Red Barn. Bourbon, muddled figs, and sweet vermouth. We created this recipe for our friend Amy’s holiday party at Red Barn Mercantile a couple of years ago, and it’s still one of our favorites!
5. The Robert Frost. With bourbon, white port, and sherry, this is definitely one of the most unusual cocktails I’ve ever tried, but also one of my all-time favorites. It’s also on the sweeter end for bourbon-based cocktails, which I personally appreciate.
6. Our take on the classic Irish Coffee – Kentucky Coffee – mixes bourbon, brown sugar, and mint coffee. Such a great combination, right? Kentucky Coffee would be a great winter brunch cocktail, but I think it’s also high time that we worked on a bourbon hot chocolate recipe for cold winter nights. Stay tuned!