Ingredients
- .25 oz Bourbon Whiskey (Jim Beam)
- .25 oz Tennessee Whiskey (Jack Daniels)
- .25 oz Scotch Whiskey (Johnnie Walker)
- .25 oz Gold Tequila (Jose Cuervo)
Instructions
Prepare the Ingredients:
- Measure out 0.25 oz each of Jim Beam, Jack Daniels, Johnnie Walker, and Jose Cuervo.
Mix and Serve:
- Pour all four spirits into a shot glass.
- Drink responsibly and enjoy the bold blend of flavors.
Notes
- For a smoother experience, ensure the spirits are chilled before mixing.
- Serve immediately after mixing to enjoy the optimal flavor blend.
Estimated Nutrition:
Where it came from
The Four Horsemen is a 2000s American back-bar shot named for the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Equal quarter-ounce pours of four high-proof spirits: bourbon (Jim Beam or Jack Daniels), Tennessee whiskey (Jack Daniels Old No.7), Scotch (Johnnie Walker) and gold tequila (Jose Cuervo Especial). The four-spirit format echoes the four horsemen of war, famine, pestilence and death.
It sits in the all-spirits shot family with the Three Wise Men, the Liquid Cocaine and the Adios. All four lean on multiple high-proof spirits at once for the strong-drink character. The Four Horsemen separates itself with the four-whisky combination, which delivers a more complex flavour profile than the three-spirit alternatives.
Best ordered at a sports bar or a late-night dive bar, not at a craft cocktail bar. The shot is a strong-drink statement; the four-spirit balance is the technique. The novelty name carries the order from the menu to the glass.
What it tastes like
Soft bourbon vanilla up front, Tennessee whiskey charcoal-mellow through the middle, Scotch peat and tequila agave fighting for the finish. The four spirits compete for the palate; no single one dominates. Reads like a whisky tasting flight compressed into one shot.
Around 40 percent ABV in the shot glass once combined. A quarter ounce each of four spirits at 40 percent ABV is a one-ounce pour at full strength; the shot drinks heavy and is best taken slowly or split across two pulls.
The technique
Combine a quarter ounce each of bourbon (Jim Beam), Tennessee whiskey (Jack Daniels Old No.7), Scotch (Johnnie Walker Red) and gold tequila (Jose Cuervo Especial) in a shot glass. Stir gently with a bar spoon for two seconds. Drink in one pull or split into two for a slower experience.
The four spirits should be poured directly into the shot glass without ice; the shot is built at room temperature. Use entry-level bottles of each category for the standard build (quality spirits are wasted in this combination); the goal is the four-spirit character, not the showcase of any single bottle.
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Ingredient Spotlight
The bottles that make or break this drink.
The bourbon
- Use
- Jim Beam, Wild Turkey 81, or any 40 percent ABV bourbon.
- Skip
- Premium bourbons. Wasted in a four-spirit shot.
- Why
- Bourbon is the soft-vanilla front of the shot. The corn-and-oak character lays the base for the other three spirits; an entry-level bottle delivers the bourbon profile without the cost of a premium bottle that gets lost in the mix.
The Tennessee whiskey
- Use
- Jack Daniels Old No.7.
- Skip
- Other Tennessee whiskies. Jack is the standard.
- Why
- Jack Daniels is the charcoal-mellowed bridge between the bourbon and the Scotch. The lincoln-county-process filtration adds a soft sweetness that softens the four-spirit shot; without it the shot loses its mellow middle.
The Scotch
- Use
- Johnnie Walker Red, Famous Grouse, or any 40 percent ABV blended Scotch.
- Skip
- Single malts or peated whiskies. Too much character.
- Why
- Blended Scotch is the peat-and-grain note that brings the global whisky character to the shot. A blended Scotch at 40 percent ABV holds its profile against the other three spirits; a single malt or a peated whisky overpowers the four-spirit balance.
The gold tequila
- Use
- Jose Cuervo Especial Gold or any 40 percent ABV mixto tequila.
- Skip
- Premium 100 percent agave tequila. Too much character.
- Why
- Gold tequila is the agave-and-caramel finish that breaks the all-whisky pattern. A mixto tequila at 40 percent ABV holds its profile; a 100 percent agave tequila overpowers the other three spirits with too much agave character.
Three Variations
Three real ways bartenders riff on this drink. Same idea, three different jackets.
The standard build
- Four Horsemen, four whiskies
- Quarter ounce each of bourbon, Tennessee whiskey, Scotch and gold tequila in a shot glass, stirred and drunk in one pull.
The premium build
- Four Horsemen, premium spirits
- Quarter ounce each of premium bourbon, premium Tennessee whiskey, premium Scotch and premium tequila. Costs more, drinks slightly smoother; the four-spirit balance still dominates.
The Five Spirits build
- Five Horsemen with rum
- Add a quarter ounce of dark rum for the Five Horsemen variant. Pulls the cocktail toward a five-spirit pour; closer to a Liquid Cocaine shot.
What if I don't have…
Quick substitutions for when the bottle shop is closed.
A second quarter ounce of Tennessee whiskey. Different flavour but holds the corn-and-oak character.
A second quarter ounce of bourbon. Loses the charcoal-mellow note; the shot drinks slightly hotter.
Irish whiskey as a substitute. Different flavour, no peat, but holds the four-whisky balance.
A quarter ounce of dark rum. Different flavour, breaks the all-whisky character; closer to a Three Wise Men plus rum.
Frequently Asked Questions
Direct answers to what people search for after Googling this drink.
What is in a Four Horsemen shot?
A quarter ounce each of bourbon, Tennessee whiskey, Scotch and gold tequila in a shot glass, stirred and drunk in one pull. Four spirits, no mixer, no ice.
Why is it called Four Horsemen?
Named for the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse from the Book of Revelation. The four-spirit format echoes the four horsemen of war, famine, pestilence and death; the strong-drink character of the shot delivers the apocalyptic theme.
How strong is a Four Horsemen shot?
Around 40 percent ABV in the shot glass once combined. A quarter ounce each of four spirits at 40 percent ABV is a one-ounce pour at full strength; the shot drinks heavy and is best taken slowly or split across two pulls.
What does it taste like?
Soft bourbon vanilla up front, Tennessee whiskey charcoal-mellow through the middle, Scotch peat and tequila agave fighting for the finish. Reads like a whisky tasting flight compressed into one shot.
Should I use premium spirits?
Not recommended. Entry-level bottles of each category deliver the four-spirit character without the cost of premium bottles that get lost in the mix. The goal is the combination, not the showcase of any single bottle.
Can I take it slowly?
Yes. The shot is heavy at 40 percent ABV, and many drinkers split it across two pulls. The four-spirit character holds across the pull; the shot does not need to be drunk in one for the flavour to work.
Can I add ice?
Not in the standard build. The shot is built at room temperature with no dilution. Adding ice changes the format toward a four-spirit cocktail rather than a shot; possible but a different drink.
What other shots are similar?
A Three Wise Men (bourbon, Tennessee whiskey, Scotch), a Liquid Cocaine, an Adios MF and a Cement Mixer. All four lean on multiple high-proof spirits at once for the strong-drink character.
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