An idea of how to improve upon cheap bourbon like Old Crow was hatched by a group of test kitchen chefs at "Cook's Illustrated" and shared in the book "Kitchen Hacks: How Clever Cooks Get Things Done." Their goal was trying to reproduce the complex nature of long barrel-aged bourbon through flavor addition to the low-cost stuff, and they may have just achieved it.

The choice of the brand is completely up to you, and once you’ve made your purchase, the test chefs recommend incorporating a trio of specific ingredients in precise quantities to take it to the next level. Add one tablespoon of dry sherry, ¾ teaspoon of vanilla extract, and ⅛ teaspoon of liquid smoke to the bourbon, and then shake it up like you're mixing a cocktail.

The vanilla extract simulates notes from oak barrels, while the inclusion of liquid smoke aims to replicate the earthy depth of a bourbon barrel. The sherry brings out the complex aromas, which with well-aged bourbon are developed over time. While the cooks don’t persuade people to ditch the expensive stuff, this trick is a unanimous upgrade over the original $15 bottle.