Veterans Day is the perfect opportunity to raise a glass to those who’ve risked it all. But what do you serve to honor those who’ve served?
Try an all-American spirit that’s not just created for patriots, but crafted by them: Horse Soldier Bourbon.
All-American Origins
Sept. 11, 2001 is a day that changed America, and our world, forever. It’s a date we’ll never forget. And after the towers fell, brave Americans stepped up.
Mere days after the 9/11 attacks, 12 Green Berets entered Afghanistan on an ambitious, and dangerous, mission — and they did it on horseback.
This quest was commemorated in both a documentary series and a Hollywood blockbuster, which shared the fascinating adventure of the dozen elite members of the US Special Forces, fittingly dubbed the Horse Soldiers.
As the soldiers’ courage was celebrated on screen, a group of the real-life heroes were working on a much different project behind the scenes. After taking a distillery tour in 2015, the friends discovered a new shared passion. They then embarked on their next chapter together — an all-American mission of a different sort. This is when Horse Soldier Bourbon was born.
Authenticity & Integrity
These two important values are at the heart of the Horse Soldier brand and reflect a commitment to quality that extends from grain to grass. The founders of the brand don’t consider distilling a hobby, but rather a second calling. So when they decided to enter this field, they dedicated themselves to doing it right.
At the onset of their bourbon journey, the Horse Soldiers crossed the ocean and trained with top-tier distillers in Ireland and Scotland. They also spent time soaking up knowledge back home in Kentucky, where several of the men are from. Both abroad and stateside, the partners focused on education and experimentation, perfecting their process while developing a taste for all-natural, top-of-the-line ingredients.
After studying and sampling at world-renowned distilleries, they honed their own technique, leading to this team of veterans opening American Freedom Distillery. Together they combine art and science to ensure that each bottle meets their very high standards.
Tower Steel-Forged, Gold Medal-Winning
Horse Soldier offers a fleet of flavorful bourbons — each one as decorated as it is delicious.
As the name indicates, the Straight Bourbon is Horse Soldier’s most traditional — a bold, full-bodied whiskey with layers of complexity.
The Small Batch is a special wheated bourbon with hints of vanilla, ginger, and cherries. Like all Horse Soldier products, this is a carefully crafted blend of mature and non-chill-filtered bourbons, offering smooth decadence down to the last drop.
Finally, there’s the Barrel Strength Straight, another wheated bourbon that boasts rich, warm notes of butterscotch, oak, and stone fruits. This is a barrel-strength version of Horse Soldier’s flagship whiskey, with additional layers of sophistication in every sip.
All three bourbons have been awarded accolades of the highest honor — including double gold medals at the 2022 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
Most recently, Horse Soldier introduced Commander’s Select VI, the sixth expression of the brand’s limited-edition Commander’s Select series, offering a high-rye bourbon aged 12 years in a single Bardstown, Kentucky rickhouse.
Additionally, the Horse Soldier story comes full circle with the brand’s patriotic-themed packaging: Each bottle is forged in a mold built from steel salvaged from the World Trade Center itself.
Six Ways to Raise Your Glass
While all of these bourbons stand proud on their own, they also serve as the perfect base for a variety of crowd-pleasing cocktails.
Discover your favorite way to enjoy Horse Soldier Bourbon with a selection of recipes below, featuring a few classics plus some fun riffs. Then, this Veterans Day, raise a glass to our heroes as we toast to service, sacrifice, and living legendary.
Creole Cocktail
A boozy beverage to transport you to the Bayou State.
Ingredients
- 1 ounce Horse Soldier Straight Bourbon
- 1 ounce Cocchi Vermouth di Torino*
- ¼ ounce Benedictine DOM*
- ¼ ounce Amaro Montenegro
- 2 dashes orange bitters
- Garnish: expressed lemon peel
Directions
- Add ingredients into a mixing glass filled with ice and stir to combine and chill.
- Strain into a chilled glass and garnish.
Pulaski County Cocktail
A simple, elegant showcase for the brand’s barrel-strength bourbon.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces Horse Soldier Barrel Strength
- ½ ounce Licor 43*
- ¾ ounce Dolin Sweet Vermouth*
- 2-3 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters*
- Garnish: expressed orange peel
Directions
- Add ingredients into a mixing glass filled with ice and stir to combine and chill.
- Strain into a chilled glass and garnish.
Brown Bomber
Named for a boxer, it’s a cocktail that packs a punch.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces Horse Soldier Small Batch
- ¾ ounce Lillet Blanc*
- ½ ounce Suze*
- Garnish: spray of orange bitters, expressed orange peel
Directions
- Add ingredients into a mixing glass filled with ice and stir to combine and chill.
- Strain into a chilled glass, spray with orange bitters, and garnish.
Bourbon Special
A refreshing-tasting cocktail featuring spice, sparkle and a bit of citrus.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces Horse Soldier Straight Bourbon
- ¾ ounce Velvet Falernum
- ¾ ounce fresh lime juice
- ¾ ounce Re’al Ginger*
- Club soda
- Garnish: 2 lime wheels
Directions
- Add ingredients (except club soda) into a cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake until well chilled.
- Uncap shaker and add club soda, then strain into a glass filled with fresh ice and garnish.
Bluegrass Mary
Recipe By: Holden Dannelly
A twist on the classic that pays homage to Horse Soldier’s Southern roots.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces Horse Soldier Premium Straight Bourbon
- 4 ounces tomato juice
- ¼ ounce lemon juice
- ¼ ounce Worcestershire sauce
- 1-10 dashes hot sauce
- Garnish options: Tajin/chili powder, celery, olives, pickled, okra, asparagus, lemon wedges, ear of corn, bacon, etc.
Directions
- Rim a rocks glass with tajin or chili powder.
- Add ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice and give it a brief shake. Roll into beverage into the rimmed glass.
- Garnish as desired.
Autumn-Spiced Julep
Recipe By: Holden Dannelly
This is a spicy, autumnal variation on the Kentucky Derby classic.
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ ounces Horse Soldier Signature Small Batch bourbon
- ¾ ounce apple brandy
- ⅓ ounce cinnamon syrup
- 2 dashes orange bitters
- 8-10 sage leaves
- Garnish: Sage sprig and grated cinnamon
Directions
- Lightly spank sage leaves to release their essence and pack them in the bottom of a highball glass.
- Add liquid ingredients atop the expressed sage.
- Pack glass with ice (crushed ice if possible).
- Garnish with a small bouquet of the sage and grate cinnamon over top.
*Brand trademarks listed are the property of respective owners. Mention of these trademarks does not imply any relationship with E&J Gallo Winery.
This article is sponsored by Horse Soldier.
