I hardly ever drink hard alcohol, maybe once or twice a year, but I understand the OP’s desire to fit in a bit. You could try a Jack Rose, although it’s hard to find a bar that stocks applejack. If they can make it, you might like it; it’s fruity and slightly tart. If they can’t make it, tell your friend that you tried. And either way you’ll be undeniably old school.
It’s not technically a bourbon in any way. It’s a sweet liqueur that is made mostly with neutral spirits and whiskey flavoring thrown in. Supposedly, they may actually put some whiskey in it soon, but even that wouldn’t make it a bourbon.
Drink what you want, it’s your birthday! If you like “girly” drinks, just own it. If you want to try drinks that might fulfill the sweet part of your tastes and not quite come off as “girly”, try a gin (or vodka) gimlet. The standard one is fairly sweet & sour, with a gin kick. There’s also the tried-and-true gin-and-tonic. A sidecar might also be a good choice (cointreau [orange liqueur], lemon, and cognac.)
Or a Jack and coke (Jack Daniels). The JD, which is essentially bourbon (technically a Tennessee whisky) is a bit sweeter and goes fine with coke.
Oh, and also, in case you for some reason do decide that a gimlet is up your alley, it’s pronounced with a “hard g,” like in “get,” not a “soft g,” like in “gin.”
I don’t know what age has to do with it. If you have a sweet tooth, you have a sweet tooth. I am in my mid 40s and still choose “girly” cocktails. BUT, I completely understand not wanting to rock the boat with your friend.
My standard traditional cocktail is a whiskey sour, which is a bit sweet, and it would probably be sophisticated enough for your friend.
And Don Draper drinks them.
Whatever you order, order it with your friend sitting there. Tell the bartender, “my friend tells me I shouldn’t order a girly drink, so can I have a whiskey sour [ or whatever] with a finger?” When the bartender asks you what you mean, say, "I have the finger. "
Give your friend the finger and enjoy your drink.
I like whiskey sours.
My first husband had a bear of a sweet tooth. His drinks of choice were screwdrivers and cosmos (the latter of which got him some ribbing).
Boulevardier: Campari, Bourbon, Sweet Vermouth
Negroni: Campari, Gin or Vodka, Sweet Vermouth
Americano: Campari, Sweet Vermouth
Ask for extra Sweet Vermouth if you want it on the sweeter side.
Very refreshing. Perfect summer drink.
Cheers to you on your b-day! Many happy returns.
Real Men drink Anti-freeze with a shot of Diesel fuel.
And not that pussy greens stuff, either!
Thanks for the recommendations (and the happy birthdays). I think I’m going to take Tamerlane’s advice and order whatever my friend recommends. If I absolutely hate it, I’ll order a glass of wine. You can’t get any more sophisticated than that.
“Gimme a MILKSHAKE! With SOUR MILK!”
- Shemp Howard
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Daiquiri rocks (not the blended and frozen kind, the kind that Hemingway drank. If Hemingway drank it, it is by definition not a girly drink.)
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Sidecar
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Old Fashioned
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French 75 (which does look girly, but it’s a classic)
It’s hot out, so enjoy a Tom Collins. It’s a very tall glass of fizzy lemonade with some gin in it.
The whiskey sour is also a great suggestion. It’s a Tom Collins with whiskey instead of gin and no fizzy water. Philip Marlowe and Moose Malloy drank them all through Farewell, My Lovely, and if you called Moose “girly” he would crush your head between a forefinger and thumb like a pistachio.
Close! I was going to suggest the Sulfuric Acid Straight, but yeah, a shot of Diesel mixed in could definitely make it go down smoother.
Or, see: http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=830900
Obligatory link to Kids in the Hall sketch.
First, your friend is an asshole. Think about trading her up. It won’t be hard to trade up from that.
What about rum? Mixes with coke well and there’s a variety of things that go well with it.
Rum Runner - rum - both light and dark, pineapple juice, orange juice, blackberry liquor, banana liquor, grenadine, loads of ice. That’ll be sweet enough for you.
Dark and Stormy - dark rum, ginger beer, slice of lime, on the rocks
Or, again, just order a rum and coke and tell the bartender how much of each you want in it.
There’s a lot to recommend, here. And anyone who says mead-drinkers are girly needs to read up on what bastard killers drank mead.
There are a number of good sweet berry-based wines in you’re into it. Raspberry, blueberry, even blackberry and lemon and such. Some of those are very good - but there are sweet.
A note vote for an amaretto sour or whiskey sour. Very sweet drink.