Which liquors makes the best Eggnog?

https://www.whiskyandbars.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/eggnog.jpg Eggnog is a divisive beverage. There are people who love Eggnog, and then there are people who don't; there is no middle ground. Well, it could be the nutmeg or the phlegmy texture that's at fault, but you wouldn't know until you try it. So, let's find out how to mix Eggnog and which liquors make the best eggnogs.

What is Eggnog?

Although a drink, Eggnog is mostly dairy, a mixture of eggs, cream, milk and sugar with your preferred alcohol. But the seemingly simple mix has a glassful of history, dating back to 1775. It was first used by an American clergyman named Jonathan Boucher in a poem. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word "nog" in Eggnog means "strong ale". Mixing Eggnog requires minimal effort; simply add the ingredients – eggs, cream, milk, and sugar syrup along with some ground cinnamon and nutmeg – in a cocktail shaker or pan. Once mixed, add ice and dram, shake for another 15 seconds and serve with a garnish of grated nutmeg. Now, let's move to the fun part of mixing Eggnog with different liquors. For this experiment, we are using a 100ml base of homemade Eggnog.

Rum eggnog

Perhaps the liquor of choice for mixing classic eggnogs, we added 40ml Jolly Roger Rum to the base. The resulting mix had a little spice, some funk and hints of tropical fruit that works quite well with the nutmeg. However, we won't vouch for the texture, as it does look "phlegmy".

Bourbon eggnog

Once again, keeping in mind the liquor's sweetness, we added 40ml Jim Beam Black Label 6-Year-Old to our eggnog base. The drink turned out fairly dry, with some spice. Not as sweet as we expected but still tasting like an alcoholic milkshake. You can feel the vanilla notes from the bourbon, and the liquor works with the nutmeg as well.

Whisky eggnog

Next up, we have one of the finest single malt scotch you can ask for, The Glenlivet. Adding 40ml of this masterful scotch whisky to our base created the most interesting mix so far. The whisky added more complexity to the drink than either rum or bourbon, making it less sweet and warming. However, whisky eggnog is not for everybody and may divide the eggnog loving and not-so-loving crowds even further.

Brandy eggnog

For our final eggnog mix, we used 40ml Hennessy Very Fine Cognac, the highest-selling brandy in the world. The Cognac-nog came out as more floral and fruitier, complementing the nutmeg with brown sugar and caramel. It's the sweetest of the lot but smooth and warming at the same time. For those with a sweet tooth, this mix can serve as the Default-nog. The various eggnogs gave us a new perspective, and we learned about the nuances of booze-spiked dairy drinks. Whether or not they are better or worse really comes down to personal opinion, but it surely was a fun experiment. So, we suggest you too have a go and find out for yourself.