Ditch The Vodka For Bourbon In Your Next Chocolate Martini And Taste The Magic

If you're a fan of chocolate martinis' decadent, dessert-like mix of rich chocolate liqueur, Baileys Irish Cream, and vodka, but are looking to up the taste profile, a simple spirit swap is what you need. When it comes to building flavors in this cocktail, a look at the ingredients tells you which isn't pulling its weight: vodka. It's a neutral spirit with little flavor, making it great for adding booze without impacting the taste of a drink much. Bourbon, on the other hand, is packed with flavor. Its typical profile includes notes of vanilla, warming spices, caramel, and even citrus. These are all flavors that pair well with chocolate.

Ever since Hollywood royalty Elizabeth Taylor and Rock Hudson were credited with this cocktail's creation in 1955, vodka has been the go-to spirit for this drink. It's high time for a change. The bourbon swap makes perfect sense since the drink already has whiskey in it (Baileys starts with Irish whiskey as its base ingredient). Adding bourbon helps round out the drink's profile, adds new depth of flavor, and even enhances its chocolate notes.

The easiest way to add bourbon to your chocolate martini is to simply swap it out for the vodka, but there are some caveats. You may need to adjust the ratios a bit since bourbon adds more sweetness than vodka does. It's really about playing with the ingredients to fine-tune it to your liking. If you find you don't have enough chocolate flavor and don't want to up the amount of alcohol, add chocolate syrup or garnish the cocktail with cocoa powder.

As far as what bourbon to use, choose a good middle-of-the-road brand, such as Old Forester 86 Proof or Evan Williams Bottled-In-Bond, that enhances the flavor but doesn't overwhelm. The first has a flavor profile with notes of vanilla and orange, the latter includes hints of caramel and burnt sugar, all of which add to the tastiness of this cocktail. Plus, these aren't so expensive that you feel like they're wasted in a mixed drink rather than enjoyed neat (though they can be). You can further build the bourbon flavors of your chocolate martini by swapping out bourbon cream for Baileys. A regular chocolate martini can be delicious, but this simple spirit swap can make it even better.