Updated June 2026.
“Best mixing bourbon” is not a TTB class and not a 2022 tasting we will fake. Use the IBA pour in front of you: Old Fashioned 45 ml, Whiskey Sour 45 ml, Mint Julep 60 ml, Manhattan 50 ml (IBA writes rye). A 1.5-ounce 80-proof pour is one NIAAA standard drink. 80-proof works in highballs; 90–100 proof holds up to sugar and citrus. Allocation bottles are wasted under cola.
Bonded (100 proof) is a cheap proof upgrade. Honey/cinnamon whiskey is a different class. Related: IBA specs, cheap bourbon.
Match the drink, not a ranking
| Drink | IBA spirit | Working bourbon band |
|---|---|---|
| Old Fashioned | 45 ml bourbon or rye | 90–100 proof |
| Whiskey Sour | 45 ml bourbon | 90–100 proof |
| Mint Julep | 60 ml bourbon | 90–100; count the extra 15 ml |
| Manhattan | 50 ml rye (bourbon is a substitute) | 90–100 proof |
| Bourbon-and-ginger / cola | No IBA spec — usually 1.5 oz | 80 proof is enough |
Four 2-ounce 90-proof highballs are about 6 drinks. NIAAA binge pattern is a health line, not a target. No 2026 MSRP. Mixers: whiskey mixers.
Sources
- IBA Old Fashioned, Whiskey Sour, Mint Julep, Manhattan pages (fetched 2026).
- TTB 27 CFR 5.143. NIAAA (December 2025). No invented ranking.