Bourbon Renewal

Bourbon Renewal over ice with a lemon wedge on a dark green stone counter.

Crème de cassis gives the Bourbon Renewal its dark-fruit accent. Jeffrey Morgenthaler published this drink in December 2004 and explained that its name came from a band associated with his business partner. The recipe keeps bourbon at the center, with fresh lemon, syrup and aromatic bitters around it.

For a home bar, the useful detail is the small cassis measure. It is a liqueur, not a substitute for the lemon juice or the entire sweetener portion. Measure each ingredient separately, then shake them together. Fresh serving ice keeps the glass tidy after straining; a lemon wedge makes the citrus element visible without adding a second fruit to the recipe.

Ingredients

Makes one cocktail.

  • 2 oz bourbon
  • 1 oz fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 oz crème de cassis
  • 1/2 oz simple syrup
  • 1 dash Angostura bitters
  • Ice
  • Lemon wedge, for garnish

Method

  1. Put the bourbon, lemon juice, cassis, syrup and bitters in a shaker. Add ice and shake until the mixture is cold.
  2. Fill an old-fashioned glass with fresh ice. Strain the drink into it.
  3. Set a lemon wedge on the rim.

Recipe credit: Created by Jeffrey Morgenthaler; proportions from his published recipe. Read the recipe at Jeffrey Morgenthaler.

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