Cherry Smash Bourbon Cocktail Recipe

Christelle Lachapelle is our guest blog contributor today all the way from Voluntown, CT. She’s sharing a refreshing summer cocktail recipe with us that features on of her favorite bourbons, Bulleit. Her “obsession” with bourbon may be relatively new but she isn’t letting that hold her back from learning everything she can and sharing it with your family and friends. Since we’re all about spreading the bourbon gospel here at Bourbon & Banter I’m happy to share Christelle’s recipe with everyone. Have a look and let us know in the comments what you think of the recipe and Christelle’s approach to spreading the bourbon gospel one cocktail at a time.

When the weather is hot, as it is here in New England, some people might turn to a lighter colored spirit than Bourbon to cool off. But nothing says summer like some fresh fruit and tons of ice, in my opinion. Having done some research on the history of the “Smash”, I thought I’d try my hand at creating one that’s perfect for summer.

Historically the Smash is closely related to the Mint Julep, and I have an out of Historically the Smash is closely related to the Mint Julep, and I have an out of control patch of mint in my yard, so I figured I was onto something. Modern versions tend to use fresh fruit with the mint. I had found some recipes that called for peaches which are not yet in season here so I chose a fruit that was beautifully colored and ripe. Cherries! I added some spice with ginger syrup and finished it off with a dash of Angostura bitters, lots of ice and some seltzer.

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I think it’s a lovely summer cocktail. Sweet, but with some “grown-up” flavors which make it more enjoyable than your average fruity summer beverage. I used Bulleit, my go-to cocktail bourbon, but feel free to try your favorite. You could substitute some other seasonal fruit for the cherries and maybe experiment with some different types of bitters to make your own signature cocktail. Please let me know if you do, I’d love to hear what you come up with.

Cherry Smash

Ingredients:

• 6 cherries
• 4 fresh mint leaves
• 1 oz. spiced ginger syrup
• .75 oz. fresh lemon juice
• 1.5 oz. Bulleit Bourbon
• Dash bitters
• Seltzer

Preparation:

Muddle cherries, mint, ginger syrup and lemon juice in an Old Fashioned glass. Add bourbon and bitters. Fill the glass with ice, top with a splash of seltzer and garnish with mint.

To make the spiced ginger syrup: In a small pot, simmer ½ cup water and ½ cup granulated sugar until combined. Add one 4-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped, 8 cloves and ½ tablespoon anise seed and continue to simmer for 25 minutes. Remove from heat, let cool, then strain, squeezing as much syrup from ginger as possible and chill syrup before using. (recipe adapted from Imbibe Magazine)